bullshit

From bull +‎ shit. In use since 1914.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbʊlʃɪt/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪt

bullshit (uncountable)

1. (vulgar, literally) Feces produced by a bull.

   Synonym: manure

   • 2016 November 6, “Multilevel Marketing”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 3, episode 29, John Oliver (actor), via HBO:

     Oh, I get it! So it's not a pyramid, it's just pyramid-shaped. You know, like a Dorito, or an Angry Bird, or just a pile of bullshit.

2. (vulgar, slang, usual sense) Statements that are false or exaggerated to impress or cheat the listener.

   Don't pay any attention to him. He talks a lot of bullshit.

   • 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC:

     The Illusive Man: Shepard. You're making a habit of costing me more than time and money.
     Shepard: I'm sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you. I'm getting a lot of bullshit on this line.

3. (vulgar, slang) Statements that are transparently or offensively false.

   That's total bullshit! I called your office and they said that you didn't come in!

   Fucking load of bullshit! You smashed his skull and dropped the F-bomb at him, and now you're claiming that he assaulted you?!

4. (rhetoric) Statements that are intentionally misleading, whether true or not.
5. (philosophy) Statements made without regard for their truth value.

   Synonym: nonsense

   • 2005, Harry Frankfurt, On Bullshit:

     Respect for the truth and a concern for the truth are among the foundations for civilization. I was for a long time disturbed by the lack of respect for the truth that I observed... bullshit is one of the deformities of these values.

   • 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: After Collector Base: Final Battle:

     Illusive Man: Shepard, you're making a habit of costing me more than time and money.
     Shepard: I'm sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you. I'm getting a lot of bullshit on this line.

6. (vulgar, slang) Synonym of shit (in its sense of any stuff, especially when viewed negatively or with collegial vulgarity).

   These rules cover how to do your laundry, how to fold your shirts, how to shine your shoes... You know, all that bullshit.

   • 1975, “Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2)”, in The Heat Is On, performed by The Isley Brothers:

     And when I rolled with the punches I got knocked on the ground
     By all this bullshit going down

7. (card games, possibly vulgar) A card game in which players try to discard their hands first, following rules that encourage bluffing, calling others' bluffs, and penalizing others by tricking them into inaccurate accusations.

   Anyone want to play a few hands of bullshit?

• (deceptive or exaggerated nonsense): See Thesaurus:nonsense
• (patently or offensively false nonsense): See Thesaurus:lie
• (abbreviation, nonsense generally): BS
• (card game): BS, cheat, I doubt it

• → Czech: bulšit

• See also Thesaurus:nonsense

bullshit (comparative more bullshit, superlative most bullshit)

1. (vulgar, slang) absurd, irrational, or nonsensical (Most often said of speech, information, or content.)

   That's the most bullshit excuse I've ever heard.

   They're bullshit jobs

bullshit (third-person singular simple present bullshits, present participle bullshitting, simple past and past participle bullshitted or bullshit or (rare) bullshat)

1. (transitive, intransitive, vulgar, slang) To tell lies, exaggerate; to mislead; to deceive.

   I think you're bullshitting. Let’s just call your office and see if you even came in.

   You’re bullshitting me. I called your office and you never even came in.

2. (intransitive, vulgar, slang) To have casual conversation with no real point; to shoot the breeze.

   I will probably just go and bullshit with Joe for a while.

3. (intransitive, vulgar, slang) To come up with on the spot; to improvise.

   We just went on stage and bullshitted the whole concert because we didn't know any songs.

• (all senses): crap (Indian English)

bullshit

1. (vulgar, slang) An expression of disbelief at what one has just heard.

• See Thesaurus:bullshit

• shitbull

Borrowed from English bullshit.

• IPA^(key): /bul.ʃit/
  • IPA^(key): (Quebec) /bʊl.ʃit/

• Audio (CAN)

  (file)

bullshit f (uncountable)

1. (Quebec, Missouri, New England, Louisiana, colloquial) bullshit

• bullskit

Borrowed from English bullshit. In oral use since 1950-s or even before (written form attested in Norwegian Bokmål source as bullskitt in 1959).

• IPA^(key): /bʉlːʃiːt/

bullshit m (definite singular bullshiten, uncountable)
bullshit n (definite singular bullshitet, uncountable)

1. (slang) false information

   Synonyms: løgn, skrøne, tull, tøys

2. (slang) irritating or useless object

   Synonyms: drit, faenskap, skit