bollocks

American  

[bol-uhks] / ˈbɒl əks /

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) ballocks.

2. (used with a singular or plural verb) rubbish; nonsense; claptrap (often used as an interjection).

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bollocks British  

/ ˈbɒləks, ˈbɒlɪks /

plural noun

1. another word for testicles See testicle

2. nonsense; rubbish

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interjection

1. an exclamation of annoyance, disbelief, etc

2. something excellent

verb

1. to muddle or botch

Usage

Both its anatomical senses and its various extended senses nowadays have far less impact than they used to, and seem unlikely to cause offence, though some older or more conservative people may object. The fact that shops displaying the Sex Pistols' album containing this word were charged with offences defined in 19th-century Indecent Advertisement and Vagrancy Acts now seems hard to credit

Etymology

Origin of bollocks

First recorded in 1735–45; variant of ballocks

Example Sentences

“Plots, secrets, fake scoops, bollocks, and backward thinking: it takes just one night of watching television to understand Italy’s talk-show crisis” was one of his tweets at the end of January.

From The New Yorker • Jun. 22, 2015

Have a bunch of Britishisms ready for when the American accent mockery starts: “I say, cheerio and bollocks to that, mate!”

From Slate • Jun. 3, 2015

"We need bollocks," Manolo Jiménez insisted last week, reverting to type.

From The Guardian • Mar. 18, 2013

Miller apparently criticized Ian Poulter's ball-striking capabilities, prompting a Twitter response from Poulter, part of which was this: "He talks such bollocks at times." Dictionary.com defines bollocks as a British term for rubbish or nonsense.

From Golf Digest • Sep. 13, 2010

But the idea that he earned this spot, well, it's bollocks, to appropriate Poulter's word.

From Golf Digest • Sep. 13, 2010