Horseshit

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. False or ridiculous statements often used to dismiss claims as lacking truth
2. Words or ideas that are considered untrue, absurd, or without value
3. Assertions or talk that are judged to be baseless, exaggerated, or deceptive

Etymology: Horseshit is one of those compounds where the parts say exactly what they mean, and the sense of the whole has drifted only slightly from its literal source. "Horse" and "shit" are both ancient Germanic words, and the combination names the waste of horses. Its figurative use as "total nonsense talk" grew out of that plain image: manure is worthless, messy, and easy to recognize, so the word became a blunt way to dismiss claims as worthless. The compound is transparent, so there is little mystery in how it was formed. Its interest lies in the contrast between a literal farmyard word and a sharply dismissive insult used in ordinary speech. Speakers reach for it when a claim strikes them as not merely wrong but unworthy of serious attention.

Synonyms: nonsense, bullshit, rubbish