flapdoodle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   informal, often dated: foolish, pretentious, or insincere talk; nonsense

   The king delivered a tearful speech full of flapdoodle about the family's loss.

2. 2
   verb

   rare: to deceive or overwhelm someone with nonsensical talk

   The promoter tried to flapdoodle the audience with grand claims and no evidence.

An American nonsense-word of uncertain origin, recorded in the nineteenth century and perhaps altered from an earlier fanciful formation such as fadoodle. Its comic sound suits its meaning: empty or pretentious nonsense.

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