nonsensenon‧sense /ˈnɒnsəns $ ˈnɑːnsens/ ●●○ S3 noun 
‘I’m a prisoner in my own home.’ ‘Nonsense!’absolute/utter/complete nonsense ‘Nobody cares about me.’ ‘That’s absolute nonsense, Mary!’nonsense about all this nonsense about health foods If you ask me, these modern teaching methods are a load of nonsense (=a lot of nonsense). He was talking utter nonsense as usual.be a nonsense British English The government’s housing policy is a nonsense. By 1832 the idea had become an economic nonsense.it is (a) nonsense to do something It is nonsense to say that mistakes are never made.2annoying behaviour [uncountable] behaviour that is stupid and annoying: You’re to stop that nonsense, do you hear me?not stand/put up with/take any nonsense (=not accept such behaviour) She won’t stand any nonsense from the kids in her class.3without meaning [uncountable] speech or writing that has no meaning or cannot be understood: Computer programs look like complete nonsense to me.4make (a) nonsense of something British English to make an action, system, or plan useless or ineffective: Having the army still in power makes a nonsense of last year’s elections.5nonsense poems/verse/rhymes poetry that is humorous because it does not have a sensible meaningCOLLOCATIONSadjectivescomplete/total nonsense· Most of what has been written on this subject is complete nonsense.utter/absolute nonsense (=complete nonsense)· He said that the charges against him were absolute nonsense.verbstalk nonsense· That's not true - he's talking nonsense!believe this/that nonsense· Don’t tell me you believe all this nonsense about ghosts!phrasesthat's nonsense (=used to emphasize that something is not true)· That’s nonsense. I never said that at all.a load of nonsense informal (=things that are completely untrue)· What she told you was a load of nonsense. Mark doesn’t drink at all.a lot of nonsense (=things that are completely untrue)· ‘Don’t fill her head with a lot of nonsense,’ said her mother.stuff and nonsense old-fashioned (=nonsense)· When asked what he thought of astrology, he replied, 'Stuff and nonsense!'
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Busch dismissed the accusations as nonsense.
- Dr. Seuss's nonsense words have delighted millions of children.
- He described her comments as confused nonsense.
- I don't intend to waste any more time listening to you talk nonsense.
- No one should have to put up with that kind of nonsense.
- Carry over the assumptions of philosophical positivism and the basic notions of revelation will become nonsense.
- Collecting nonsense words is an interesting pastime.
- In this context their role is not negative, even though you get a bag of nonsense with that good service.
- It was easy to laugh in that snug house, talk nonsense half the night, drink.
- She cleared her head of Rory, all that nonsense.
- There is a great deal of nonsense spoken about Homoeopathy that stems from this basic misconception.
- This remarkable piece of nonsense came, of course, straight out of her reactive mind.
- Which, basically, is nonsense.
Longman Language Activatorto disagree strongly with someone
if two people or groups are at loggerheads , they strongly disagree with each other and argue, usually about how to deal with a problem or decision: · As a result of the strike, neighbours and even families were soon at loggerheads.be at loggerheads over/about: · Congress and the President are still at loggerheads over how to balance the federal budget.
to disagree with a person, organization, or way of thinking and be opposed to them - used especially in news reports: be at odds with: · Britain and France were constantly at odds with each other throughout the negotiations.be at odds over: · The two sides are still at odds over a pay increase for airline pilots.
British to disagree strongly with someone and argue with them about it so that your good relationship with them is damaged: · Jung and Freud fell out when Jung disagreed with some of Freud's central theories.fall out with: · Maria fell out with some of her colleagues and decided to look for a new job.fall out (with somebody) over: · They fell out over some stupid little issue.
to strongly disagree with someone and to be continuously opposing them and arguing against their actions and intentions: · Rather than be in continual conflict with his boss, Bruce moved to another job.· Union leaders are again in conflict with management, this time over job losses.
having or resulting from such completely different aims or opinions that agreement is impossible: · The split in the Liberal party seems to be irreconcilable.irreconcilable differences: · When irreconcilable differences exist between two people, it is better that they should separate.irreconcilable with: · Both these ways of looking at the world are valid but utterly irreconcilable with each other.
spoken also rubbish British spoken use this when you strongly disagree with something someone has said: · "You always think you're right!" "Nonsense!"
having no meaning something that is meaningless has no meaning, and is therefore useless, wrong, or stupid: · I wish politicians would tell us the truth, instead of repeating their meaningless prepared answers.· The statement issued by the authorities was meaningless.· It is meaningless to ask what is "real" or "imaginary" in a story.
speech or writing that has no meaning: · He described her comments as confused nonsense.talk nonsense: · I don't intend to waste any more time listening to you talk nonsense.
informal complicated language, especially in an official document, that seems to have no meaning: · I can't understand all this legal gobbledygook.
to treat someone strictly to treat someone very strictly and sometimes unfairly: · Sometimes I think you're too hard on that boy.· Don't be too hard on her. She didn't mean to break it.
to begin to treat someone strictly because they have been doing something that is wrong or illegal: · At last the government is starting to get tough with dealers who sell dangerous second-hard cars.· Football clubs have been told that they must get tough with violent fans.
if you say that you stand or take no nonsense , you mean you treat other people strictly, but in a way that makes people respect you: · I won't stand any nonsense. I want you all in bed by nine o'clock.stand/take no nonsense from: · She was a very good teacher who would take no nonsense from her students.
to control an organization or group of people very strictly, by always punishing people if they do not obey you: · Their mother ruled their life with a rod of iron.· The Secret police ruled the city with a rod of iron.
to strictly control someone's behaviour, for example by not allowing them to do things without asking your permission: · They keep a very tight rein on their children.· The government has promised to keep a tight rein on public spending.
what you say when you think something is untrue British spoken also bull American spoken use this when you think something is totally untrue and stupid: · I don't know where he got that idea, it's total bull.· You don't believe that rubbish, do you?· That's nonsense. Don't be silly.
spoken also a pile of American spoken use this when you think everything that someone has said or written about something is stupid and completely untrue: a load of nonsense/rubbish British: · I told Julia what he'd said, and she said that it was a load of nonsense.· That article is a load of rubbish, if you ask me.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives What arrant nonsense! She’s a strong woman who stands no nonsense from anyone. That’s utter nonsense!COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· Most of what has been written on this subject is complete nonsense.
(=complete nonsense)· He said that the charges against him were absolute nonsense.
verbs· That's not true - he's talking nonsense!
· Don’t tell me you believe all this nonsense about ghosts!
phrases (=used to emphasize that something is not true)· That’s nonsense. I never said that at all.
informal (=things that are completely untrue)· What she told you was a load of nonsense. Mark doesn’t drink at all.
(=things that are completely untrue)· ‘Don’t fill her head with a lot of nonsense,’ said her mother.
old-fashioned (=nonsense)· When asked what he thought of astrology, he replied, 'Stuff and nonsense!'
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES What arrant nonsense! She’s a strong woman who stands no nonsense from anyone. That’s utter nonsense!· That's absolute nonsense, James.· Statement E: Racism as rational self interest I think that's absolute nonsense.· The Commission's proposals on beef are absolute nonsense.
· But he could also be dismayed if Christians were heard by pagans to be talking nonsense about nature.· But it does not deny that they mean what they say, does not suggest that they are talking nonsense.· Mr. Moynihan I think that is it is the hon. Gentleman who is talking nonsense on this occasion.· If some one believed that tables were better than chairs, we would think they were talking nonsense.· Anyway talking of nonsense you should've seen the bill I was sent for my council tax it was quite pricey.
· Time-travellers? Utter nonsense, surely?· Still, he posed several questions that he said proved the plaintiffs' case was utter nonsense.
NOUN· Construct the nonsense words to fit what you know to be the specific difficulties of the pupils.· Collecting nonsense words is an interesting pastime.· What's it all about? 1 Write down all the nonsense words in the poem.
VERB· I believe that it is nonsense that we should give such asylum seekers any form of accommodation.
· When Airtours had announced its full-year results in December, chairman David Crossland had dismissed the idea as nonsense.· That idea, once dismissed as nonsense, keeps gaining momentum.· They saved the scheme from being dismissed as nonsense.· Institute officials dismiss the suit as nonsense.· He dismissed the thought as nonsense.
· Actions in nuisance, if successful, would make a nonsense of the whole scheme.· One could dissolve and still exist ... I hovered on the edge of consciousness, semi-asleep, making nonsense.· However, this makes nonsense of the notion of having word units stored at this level.· They omitted from their calculations two factors which were to make a nonsense of their plans.· Besides, the advent of a National Lottery next year could make a nonsense of the strategy's premises about funding.· It is just electricity that makes a nonsense of natural design.· A voice which ordered the clocks back, which made a nonsense of time.
· She's a fine nurse, but stands no nonsense from anyone.· It stands for nonsense that is called by fancier names.· That logical mind of yours isn't going to stand any nonsense, is it?· It also said that she was to stand no nonsense from Sheik Hasseinen's messenger.· He too was kind but stood no nonsense and had no problems with discipline.· This caning had its effect for the whole class knew that Miss Smith would stand no nonsense and it stamped her authority.
· The legal position is clear, so can we please stop this nonsense?· Poltoo, kindly stop this nonsense Straightaway!· Polly reached up and took his hand. ` Jack. Stop this nonsense.· Could you please stop this nonsense?
· Quinn realized that he was talking nonsense.· A man talking sense to himself is no madder than a man talking nonsense not to himself.· Ken also played a man selling luminous leprechauns and a newspaper seller talking inconsequential nonsense to the proprietor of a coffee stall.· How dare you talk such nonsense!
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► patent lie/nonsense/impossibility etc
- A voice which ordered the clocks back, which made a nonsense of time.
- Actions in nuisance, if successful, would make a nonsense of the whole scheme.
- Besides, the advent of a National Lottery next year could make a nonsense of the strategy's premises about funding.
- How it rained in Arbroath; trying to see through curtains of falling water makes a nonsense of note-taking.
- However, this makes nonsense of the notion of having word units stored at this level.
- It is just electricity that makes a nonsense of natural design.
- They omitted from their calculations two factors which were to make a nonsense of their plans.
- Which artist was famous for his nonsense rhymes? 09.
- A man talking sense to himself is no madder than a man talking nonsense not to himself.
- Don't talk rubbish, girl!
- He had already tried to talk sense into Jotan, and had got nowhere.
- It was easy to laugh in that snug house, talk nonsense half the night, drink.
- People who talk about authentic costume are talking rubbish.
- Quinn realized that he was talking nonsense.
WORD FAMILYadjectivesensibleinsensiblesenselesssensitive ≠ insensitivesensorynonsensicalinsensatenounsense ≠ nonsensesensibility ≠ insensibilitysensitivity ≠ insensitivitysenselessnesssensitizationsensoradverbsensiblysenselesslysensitively ≠ insensitivelyverbsensesensitize
1untrue/stupid [singular, uncountable] ideas, opinions, statements etc that are not true or that seem very stupid SYN rubbish British English: ‘I’m a prisoner in my own home.’ ‘Nonsense!’absolute/utter/complete nonsense ‘Nobody cares about me.’ ‘That’s absolute nonsense, Mary!’nonsense about all this nonsense about health foods If you ask me, these modern teaching methods are a load of nonsense (=a lot of nonsense). He was talking utter nonsense as usual.be a nonsense British English The government’s housing policy is a nonsense. By 1832 the idea had become an economic nonsense.it is (a) nonsense to do something It is nonsense to say that mistakes are never made.2annoying behaviour [uncountable] behaviour that is stupid and annoying: You’re to stop that nonsense, do you hear me?not stand/put up with/take any nonsense (=not accept such behaviour) She won’t stand any nonsense from the kids in her class.3without meaning [uncountable] speech or writing that has no meaning or cannot be understood: Computer programs look like complete nonsense to me.4make (a) nonsense of something British English to make an action, system, or plan useless or ineffective: Having the army still in power makes a nonsense of last year’s elections.5nonsense poems/verse/rhymes poetry that is humorous because it does not have a sensible meaningCOLLOCATIONSadjectivescomplete/total nonsense· Most of what has been written on this subject is complete nonsense.utter/absolute nonsense (=complete nonsense)· He said that the charges against him were absolute nonsense.verbstalk nonsense· That's not true - he's talking nonsense!believe this/that nonsense· Don’t tell me you believe all this nonsense about ghosts!phrasesthat's nonsense (=used to emphasize that something is not true)· That’s nonsense. I never said that at all.a load of nonsense informal (=things that are completely untrue)· What she told you was a load of nonsense. Mark doesn’t drink at all.a lot of nonsense (=things that are completely untrue)· ‘Don’t fill her head with a lot of nonsense,’ said her mother.stuff and nonsense old-fashioned (=nonsense)· When asked what he thought of astrology, he replied, 'Stuff and nonsense!'