- 1. (Literal) Waste material destined for disposal; trash or garbage (primarily UK/Aus/NZ English).
- 2. (Figurative) Nonsense; something untrue, worthless, or of very poor quality.
Explanation
Origin
- Derived from Anglo-Norman rubous or Old French robeux, related to rubble or waste.
- The literal meaning (waste) has been used for centuries.
- The figurative meaning evolved from the idea of something being worthless, fit only to be discarded like waste. It implies strong dismissal or low opinion.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal (Nonsense/Poor Quality):
- Bollocks (UK, vulgar)
- Pants (UK slang, poor quality That's pants!)
- Tosh (UK, nonsense)
- Tripe (Nonsense)
- Crapola (Informal)
Milder (Nonsense/Poor Quality):
- Not very good
- Unconvincing
- Poorly made
Vulgar (Nonsense/Poor Quality):
- Shit/Shite
- Bullshit
- Crap
Situational Appropriateness
- Literal meaning: Neutral, suitable for any context.
- Figurative meaning: Informal to semi-formal. Describing a film or product as rubbish among friends or colleagues is common. Directly calling someone's idea or statement rubbish can be dismissive and impolite, especially in formal settings. Use unconvincing, incorrect, or poorly reasoned in more formal contexts.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- North Americans will primarily associate the word with literal trash/garbage. While they usually understand the figurative meaning from context, it might sound slightly more British or formal/old-fashioned to them than alternatives like garbage or crap.
Examples
- (Literal): Don't forget to take the rubbish out tonight.
- (Literal): The streets were full of rubbish after the festival.
- (Figurative Nonsense): His excuse was complete rubbish.
- (Figurative Nonsense): Don't talk rubbish!
- (Figurative Poor Quality): I tried watching that new film, but it was absolute rubbish.
- (Figurative Poor Quality): Their customer service is rubbish.
Dialogue
Person 1: Did you read that article claiming coffee is bad for you?
Person 2: Yeah, I saw it. Sounded like a load of rubbish to me, honestly. The 'study' they cited was tiny.
Person 1: Absolute rubbish. I'm still having my morning coffee!
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Paid £50 for this game and it's utter rubbish. Full of bugs. #gaming #fail
- FB Post: Ignore those 'get rich quick' schemes, they're all rubbish.
- Review: The plot was predictable and the acting was rubbish. 1 star.
- Forum question: Is it true that [myth]? Or is that just rubbish?
Response Patterns
- (Literal): Agreement (Okay, I'll do it.), observation (Yeah, it needs emptying.).
- (Figurative Nonsense): Disagreement (No, it's not!, It's the truth!), asking for justification (Why do you say that?).
- (Figurative Poor Quality): Agreement (Totally agree, it was awful.), disagreement (Really? I didn't think it was that bad.), asking for reasons (What was wrong with it?).
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After literal use:
- Taking the rubbish out, discussing recycling.
After figurative use:
- Debating the point, defending one's opinion, explaining the flaws, changing the subject.
Conversation Starter
- No. Usually a comment on something specific or a response.
Intonation
- (Literal): Usually neutral. Take the RUBBISH out.
- (Figurative): Often said with a dismissive, critical, or emphatic tone. Strong stress on RUBBISH. That's absolute RUBBISH!
Generation Differences
- Widely used and understood across generations in the regions where it's common, for both literal and figurative meanings.
Regional Variations
- Rubbish (literal and figurative) is standard in British, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, and South African English.
- In North America (US/Canada), trash or garbage is used for the literal meaning. For the figurative meanings, garbage, nonsense, junk, or crap are more common, though rubbish is generally understood.