bosh: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, dated
Quick answer
What does “bosh” mean?
Nonsense, foolish talk or ideas.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Nonsense, foolish talk or ideas.
Used to express contemptuous dismissal of something as absurd or worthless; can also refer to empty or meaningless activity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More historically established in British English, though now rare in both varieties. American usage is minimal and likely influenced by British sources.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries a tone of old-fashioned or theatrical dismissal. Might be used humorously to sound quaint.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary corpora for both. Slightly higher historical attestation in British texts.
Grammar
How to Use “bosh” in a Sentence
That's [bosh]!He was talking [bosh].What [bosh]!Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bosh” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He just boshed on for an hour without making a point.
American English
- She boshed about politics, but no one listened.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Not used in formal academic writing.
Everyday
Rare, potentially humorous among older speakers or in deliberate archaism.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bosh”
- Using it in formal contexts.
- Overusing it as it sounds archaic.
- Confusing it with 'bosh' as a name or brand.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's not rude or offensive, just informal and dismissive. It's milder than many synonyms for 'nonsense'.
It entered English in the mid-19th century from Turkish 'boş' meaning 'empty, worthless', via Romani.
Yes, but very rarely. It means 'to talk nonsense' (e.g., 'He boshed on about his theories'). The noun form is standard.
It is very rare in modern speech. You might encounter it in historical fiction, humorous writing, or as a deliberate archaism.
Nonsense, foolish talk or ideas.
Bosh is usually informal, dated in register.
Bosh: in British English it is pronounced /bɒʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /bɑːʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Bosh and nonsense!”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone brushing away nonsense with a 'bosh' sound, like a dismissive wave.
Conceptual Metaphor
WORTHLESS IDEAS ARE GARBAGE/TRASH (bosh is dismissed like rubbish).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'bosh' be LEAST appropriate?