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# codswallop

noun (codswallop; uncountable)

«codswallop» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

(informal, UK, Australia, NZ) Nonsense; something that is silly and untrue: «That's a load of codswallop!» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/codswallop/#m1)

### In the lessons

It is a fun, cheeky word adults use when they think a story, excuse or claim is rubbish. It is not rude, so you might hear it from grandparents, teachers or on TV. In critical-thinking lessons it is a word for claims without evidence. Phrases: «a load of codswallop», «utter codswallop», «complete codswallop».

### Examples

- «The dog ate my homework? What a load of codswallop!» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/codswallop/#x1)
- Grandad said the advert's promises were utter codswallop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/codswallop/#x2)
- That story about a monster in the school basement is complete codswallop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/codswallop/#x3)
- «Codswallop!» shouted the old man at the telly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/codswallop/#x4)
- Don't believe that codswallop about chocolate making you fly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/codswallop/#x5)
- The scientist showed that the claim was codswallop by doing a fair test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/codswallop/#x6)

### Note

Uncountable: «a load of codswallop», never «a codswallop» or «codswallops». It is informal but not a swear word. A popular story says it came from a man called Hiram Codd who made fizzy-drink bottles, but nobody really knows; that tale is probably a myth. Similar words: rubbish, nonsense, poppycock, balderdash, (US) baloney.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «codswallop» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/codswallop/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«codswallop» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/codswallop.html) on Mova free.