bilge water

American  

noun

1. Nautical. bilge.

2. Also called bilge.  Slang. foolish, worthless, or offensive talk or ideas; nonsense; rubbish.

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Etymology

Origin of bilge water

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

Some suggest bilge water from passing freighters could be aggravating its spread in Turks and Caicos.

From BBC • Jan. 9, 2020

The Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships requires oily bilge water to be treated before being released into the sea.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 16, 2019

The documents also show illegal practices were found on four other Princess ships, including use of clean ocean water to fool onboard sensors that would otherwise detect dumping of improperly contaminated bilge water.

From The Guardian • Dec. 2, 2016

Eventually, with the help of a confidential informant, investigators would learn of the ship’s multiple unreported engine failures and makeshift hose-and-barrel system for bilge water that discharged oily waste into the ocean.

From New York Times • Dec. 30, 2014

Like bad eggs, salt, and tenpenny nails biled in bilge water.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 103, September 24, 1892 by Various