rubbish
Americannoun
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worthless, unwanted material that is rejected or thrown out; debris; litter; trash.
-
nonsense, as in writing or art.
sentimental rubbish.
- Synonyms:
- bosh, drivel, balderdash, rot
noun
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worthless, useless, or unwanted matter
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discarded or waste matter; refuse
-
foolish words or speech; nonsense
verb
Usage
What is rubbish? Rubbish is unwanted material, such as something you throw into a waste barrel, like a banana peel.Rubbish is also something that is considered nonsense and not worth anything, like an idea or a piece of art.In Australia and New Zealand, rubbish can mean to criticize or verbally attack. It’s often used informally.Example: Make sure you clean up all this rubbish before you leave tonight.
Etymology
Origin of rubbish
1350–1400; Middle English rubbes, rob ( b ) ous < ?; rubble
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Throughout the dispute, the council has employed agency workers to collect household waste, but at times, piles of rubbish have grown on pavements and street corners while many bins overflow.
From BBC
She said rubbish was often dumped directly outside her door, on nearby steps and on surrounding wasteland, blocking drains and creating serious health risks.
From BBC
"I look at everything, is it rubbish? Has it got another life? Can I sell it? Should it go to the hospice?" she says.
From BBC
Most roads remain closed around the arena, while inside construction materials and rubbish litter the floor.
From BBC
The dock blew with cast-off bits of paper and water-slicked rubbish.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
