- Today's Word
Codswallop
[KODZ-wol-uhp]
Definition
- (noun) Nonsense or foolish talk. It’s often used to dismiss an idea, statement, or belief as ridiculous, insincere, or untrue.
Example
When the politician claimed that his new tax plan would benefit everyone, his opponents quickly dismissed it as pure codswallop, pointing out the numerous flaws and inconsistencies in his proposal.
Fun Fact
The origin of “codswallop” is uncertain, but there are several interesting theories about its etymology. One popular theory suggests that it might be derived from the words “cod,” meaning a joke or a hoax, and “wallop,” meaning to beat or thrash. According to this theory, “codswallop” could have originally referred to a tall tale or a story that was meant to deceive or “wallop” the listener. Another theory proposes that “codswallop” could be related to a 19th-century English soft drink called “Codd’s wallop,” which was named after its inventor, Hiram Codd. The drink was known for its unusual bottle design, which included a marble that would seal the bottle when pressed against a rubber gasket. Some believe that the phrase “a load of Codd’s wallop” might have been used to describe something as nonsense or foolishness, eventually being shortened to just “codswallop.”
(verb) To criticize someone or something severely and publicly, often with harsh or scathing language.
The columnist excoriated the company’s leadership for ignoring repeated safety warnings.
Excoriate comes from the Latin excoriare, meaning “to strip off the skin,” from ex- (“off”) and corium (“hide” or “skin”). While the word originally described physical abrasion, its meaning shifted metaphorically over time to describe verbal attacks so harsh they feel skin-deep, leaving nothing protected.