bugger-all
[ buhg-er-awl, boog- ]
/ ˈbʌg ərˈɔl, ˈbʊg- /
noun Chiefly British Slang.
absolutely nothing; nothing at all: Those reckless investments left him with bugger-all.
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Origin of bugger-all
First recorded in 1935–40; noun use of the exclamation bugger all!
Words nearby bugger-all
bugboy, bugeye, bug-eyed, bugger, bugger about, bugger-all, bugger off, buggery, Buggin's turn, buggy, bughouse
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021