"malarkey" meaning in English

See malarkey in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /məˈlɑːki/ [Received-Pronunciation], /məˈlɑɹki/ [General-American] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-malarkey.wav [Received-Pronunciation] Forms: malarkeys [plural, rare]
Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)ki Etymology: Origin unknown; perhaps from Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered”) or μαλακία (malakía, “masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense”). The word was popularized by the Irish-American cartoonist Thomas Aloysius (“Tad”) Dorgan (1877–1929), who started using it in cartoons on March 9, 1922. Etymology templates: {{unknown|en|Origin unknown}} Origin unknown, {{der|en|el|μαλακός|t=soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered}} Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered”), {{m|el|μαλακία|t=masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense}} μαλακία (malakía, “masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense”) Head templates: {{en-noun|s|plqual=rare}} malarkey (plural (rare) malarkeys)
  1. (originally US, informal) Nonsense; rubbish. Wikipedia link: NPR Tags: informal Synonyms: nonsense, malachy, malarky, mallarky, mullarkey Translations (nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense): falòrnia [feminine] (Catalan), ximpleria [feminine] (Catalan), sense sentit [masculine] (Catalan), humpuuki (Finnish), puuta heinää (Finnish), roska (Finnish), Blödsinn [masculine] (German), Humbug [dated, masculine] (German), Kappes [Rhineland, masculine, regional] (German), Mumpitz [dated, masculine] (German), Quatsch [masculine] (German), Schmarrn [Bavaria, masculine, regional] (German), Schwachsinn [masculine] (German), Unfug [masculine] (German), Unsinn [masculine] (German), μαλακία (malakía) [feminine] (Greek), sóder (Hungarian), maszlag (Hungarian), süketelés (Hungarian), süket duma (Hungarian), halandzsa (Hungarian), kitaláció (Hungarian), mese habbal (Hungarian), rizsa (Hungarian), balla [feminine] (Italian), cazzata [feminine] (Italian), fandonia [feminine] (Italian), brednie [feminine, plural] (Polish), bzdura [feminine] (Polish), humbug [masculine] (Polish), besteira [feminine] (Portuguese), bobeira (Portuguese), rodela [Brazil, feminine] (Portuguese), fleacuri [neuter, plural] (Romanian), nimicuri [neuter, plural] (Romanian), nonsens [neuter] (Romanian), prostii [feminine, plural] (Romanian), чушь (čušʹ) [feminine] (Russian), чепуха (čepuxa) [feminine] (Russian), majaderías [feminine, plural] (Spanish), payasadas [feminine, plural] (Spanish), sandeces [feminine, plural] (Spanish), tonterías [feminine, plural] (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-malarkey-en-noun-yV7fFzcH Categories (other): American English, English entries with incorrect language header

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for malarkey meaning in English (12.7kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Origin unknown"
      },
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      "name": "unknown"
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "el",
        "3": "μαλακός",
        "t": "soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered"
      },
      "expansion": "Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "el",
        "2": "μαλακία",
        "t": "masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense"
      },
      "expansion": "μαλακία (malakía, “masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense”)",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Origin unknown; perhaps from Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered”) or μαλακία (malakía, “masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense”). The word was popularized by the Irish-American cartoonist Thomas Aloysius (“Tad”) Dorgan (1877–1929), who started using it in cartoons on March 9, 1922.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "malarkeys",
      "tags": [
        "plural",
        "rare"
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    }
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  "head_templates": [
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  "hyphenation": [
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
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          "name": "American English",
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I decided it was a bunch of malarkey and stopped reading about halfway through.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1934 April 2, Thomas Aloysius Dorgan, The Capital Times, Madison, Wis.: Capital Times Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6",
          "text": "Malachy—You said it—I wouldn't trust a lawyer no further than I could throw a case of Scotch.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1939, The Commentator, volume 6, New York, N.Y.: Payson Publishing Co., →OCLC, page 45, column 2",
          "text": "It's a lot of mallarky for mothers, sisters, and sweethearts to ask \"Laddie, when you're far away will you think of me?\" The answer is NO! The girls who teach the soldier boys are kept busy as a bee. It's the soldier boys who pay.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1945, Lawrence Lariar, Erle Stanley Gardner, Marjorie Alan, The Girl with the Frightened Eyes [by Lawrence Lariar]; The Case of the Half-wakened Wife [by Erle Stanley Gardner]; Dark Prophecy [by Marjorie Alan], New York, N.Y.: Detective Book Club, →OCLC, page 127",
          "text": "She shrugged. \"I've told you all I know.\" / \"Mallarky. You haven't even begun to spill and you know it.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1957 July, Merrick Pratt, “Administering the Protective Equipment Program”, in Gerard J. Riley, editor, Modern Sanitation: The Magazine of Sanitation Management and Plant Housekeeping, volume 9, number 1, Easton, Pa.: Powell Magazines, →OCLC, page 21",
          "text": "If I told you that we had launched the glove washing program without effort it would be purely malarkey. Right off the bat we had some squawks about dermatitis.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1968, Margery Allingham, “The String Man”, in Cargo of Eagles, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC; republished London: Vintage, 2016, page 91",
          "text": "'Smuggling,' she said. 'has a fine romantic ring about it—once aboard the lugger, you heave ho and all that kind of malarky. [...]'",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1957 October 19, Robert Ormond Case, “Trouble at Midas Creek”, in Ben Hibbs, editor, The Saturday Evening Post, volume 230, number 16, Philadelphia, Pa., London: Curtis Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 64, column 1",
          "text": "Save that malarkey for those old fossils at Midas Creek! You're aiming at the pot. So am I. I'm in control, but you and your infernal luck could upset the applecart.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1983, Donald E[dwin] Westlake, chapter 23, in Why Me?, New York, N.Y.: Viking; republished [New York, N.Y.]: MysteriousPress.com/Open Road, 2011",
          "text": "But, Tony, this has got to stay within the Department. None of our FBIers or state troopers or all them other malarkeys get to hear a word of it.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1985, Stephen Lowe, “Moving Pictures”, in Moving Pictures: Four Plays (Methuen New Theatrescript), London, New York, N.Y.: Methuen, page 7",
          "text": "But I'm not havin' this film mallarky. I'm takin' no memories wi' me.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1993, Richard Barry, “Budgeting”, in The Management of International Oil Operations, Tulsa, Ok.: PennWell Books, page 331",
          "text": "A company that makes a fetish of never exceeding the budget invites game-playing and other malarky. It is easy to forget the obvious: that it involves no skill to come in on time and under budget if the schedule and budget are generous enough.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1998, Nick Hornby, chapter 13, in About a Boy, London: Gollancz; republished as chapter 13, in About a Boy, New York, N.Y.: Riverhead Books, 1998",
          "text": "\"No. She was going through a Kramer vs. Kramer kind of thing at the time. You know, a sort of I-want-to-find-out-who-I-am malarkey.\" / \"And did she find out who she was?\" / \"Not really. I don't know if anyone really does, do they?\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2001 January, Jules Verne, chapter 5, in Frederick Paul Walter, transl., 20,000 Leagues under the Seas: An Underwater Tour of the World (Project Gutenberg eBook; #2488), Project Gutenberg, →OCLC, part 2",
          "text": "\"An underwater tunnel!\" he exclaimed. \"A connection between two seas! Who ever heard of such malarkey!\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, Johnny Rich, “The Application Process”, in Ruth Bushi, editor, The Push Guide to Choosing a University, 2nd edition, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Nelson Thornes, page 68",
          "text": "This book isn't about the application process itself – how best to complete your UCAS form, what the codes are for exam awarding bodies, what to say in interviews and all that mullarkey.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015, Liz Talley, Sweet Talking Man (Harlequin Superromance), Don Mills, Ont.: Harlequin Enterprises, page 337",
          "text": "That's a bunch of malarkey piled on malarkey. I knew the minute I saw you there was something special about you, [...]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Nonsense; rubbish."
      ],
      "id": "en-malarkey-en-noun-yV7fFzcH",
      "links": [
        [
          "Nonsense",
          "nonsense"
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          "rubbish",
          "rubbish#Noun"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(originally US, informal) Nonsense; rubbish."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "nonsense"
        },
        {
          "word": "malachy"
        },
        {
          "word": "malarky"
        },
        {
          "word": "mallarky"
        },
        {
          "word": "mullarkey"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "falòrnia"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ximpleria"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "sense sentit"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "humpuuki"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "puuta heinää"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "roska"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Blödsinn"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "dated",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Humbug"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "Rhineland",
            "masculine",
            "regional"
          ],
          "word": "Kappes"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "dated",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Mumpitz"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Quatsch"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "Bavaria",
            "masculine",
            "regional"
          ],
          "word": "Schmarrn"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Schwachsinn"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Unfug"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Unsinn"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "malakía",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "μαλακία"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "sóder"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "maszlag"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "süketelés"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "süket duma"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "halandzsa"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "kitaláció"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "mese habbal"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "rizsa"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "balla"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "cazzata"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "fandonia"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "brednie"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bzdura"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "humbug"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "besteira"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "word": "bobeira"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "Brazil",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "rodela"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "neuter",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "fleacuri"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "neuter",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "nimicuri"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "nonsens"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "prostii"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "čušʹ",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "чушь"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "čepuxa",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "чепуха"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "majaderías"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "payasadas"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "sandeces"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "tonterías"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "NPR"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/məˈlɑːki/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/məˈlɑɹki/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑː(ɹ)ki"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-malarkey.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/ac/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Back_ache-malarkey.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Back_ache-malarkey.wav.mp3",
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      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (RP)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "malarkey"
}
{
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "el",
        "3": "μαλακός",
        "t": "soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered"
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      "expansion": "Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered”)",
      "name": "der"
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      "args": {
        "1": "el",
        "2": "μαλακία",
        "t": "masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense"
      },
      "expansion": "μαλακία (malakía, “masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense”)",
      "name": "m"
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  "etymology_text": "Origin unknown; perhaps from Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered”) or μαλακία (malakía, “masturbation; (figuratively) idiocy, stupidity; bullshit, nonsense”). The word was popularized by the Irish-American cartoonist Thomas Aloysius (“Tad”) Dorgan (1877–1929), who started using it in cartoons on March 9, 1922.",
  "forms": [
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  "head_templates": [
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  "hyphenation": [
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
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        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
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        "English lemmas",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms derived from Greek",
        "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with unknown etymologies",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)ki",
        "Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)ki/3 syllables"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I decided it was a bunch of malarkey and stopped reading about halfway through.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1934 April 2, Thomas Aloysius Dorgan, The Capital Times, Madison, Wis.: Capital Times Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6",
          "text": "Malachy—You said it—I wouldn't trust a lawyer no further than I could throw a case of Scotch.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1939, The Commentator, volume 6, New York, N.Y.: Payson Publishing Co., →OCLC, page 45, column 2",
          "text": "It's a lot of mallarky for mothers, sisters, and sweethearts to ask \"Laddie, when you're far away will you think of me?\" The answer is NO! The girls who teach the soldier boys are kept busy as a bee. It's the soldier boys who pay.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1945, Lawrence Lariar, Erle Stanley Gardner, Marjorie Alan, The Girl with the Frightened Eyes [by Lawrence Lariar]; The Case of the Half-wakened Wife [by Erle Stanley Gardner]; Dark Prophecy [by Marjorie Alan], New York, N.Y.: Detective Book Club, →OCLC, page 127",
          "text": "She shrugged. \"I've told you all I know.\" / \"Mallarky. You haven't even begun to spill and you know it.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1957 July, Merrick Pratt, “Administering the Protective Equipment Program”, in Gerard J. Riley, editor, Modern Sanitation: The Magazine of Sanitation Management and Plant Housekeeping, volume 9, number 1, Easton, Pa.: Powell Magazines, →OCLC, page 21",
          "text": "If I told you that we had launched the glove washing program without effort it would be purely malarkey. Right off the bat we had some squawks about dermatitis.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1968, Margery Allingham, “The String Man”, in Cargo of Eagles, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC; republished London: Vintage, 2016, page 91",
          "text": "'Smuggling,' she said. 'has a fine romantic ring about it—once aboard the lugger, you heave ho and all that kind of malarky. [...]'",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1957 October 19, Robert Ormond Case, “Trouble at Midas Creek”, in Ben Hibbs, editor, The Saturday Evening Post, volume 230, number 16, Philadelphia, Pa., London: Curtis Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 64, column 1",
          "text": "Save that malarkey for those old fossils at Midas Creek! You're aiming at the pot. So am I. I'm in control, but you and your infernal luck could upset the applecart.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1983, Donald E[dwin] Westlake, chapter 23, in Why Me?, New York, N.Y.: Viking; republished [New York, N.Y.]: MysteriousPress.com/Open Road, 2011",
          "text": "But, Tony, this has got to stay within the Department. None of our FBIers or state troopers or all them other malarkeys get to hear a word of it.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1985, Stephen Lowe, “Moving Pictures”, in Moving Pictures: Four Plays (Methuen New Theatrescript), London, New York, N.Y.: Methuen, page 7",
          "text": "But I'm not havin' this film mallarky. I'm takin' no memories wi' me.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1993, Richard Barry, “Budgeting”, in The Management of International Oil Operations, Tulsa, Ok.: PennWell Books, page 331",
          "text": "A company that makes a fetish of never exceeding the budget invites game-playing and other malarky. It is easy to forget the obvious: that it involves no skill to come in on time and under budget if the schedule and budget are generous enough.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1998, Nick Hornby, chapter 13, in About a Boy, London: Gollancz; republished as chapter 13, in About a Boy, New York, N.Y.: Riverhead Books, 1998",
          "text": "\"No. She was going through a Kramer vs. Kramer kind of thing at the time. You know, a sort of I-want-to-find-out-who-I-am malarkey.\" / \"And did she find out who she was?\" / \"Not really. I don't know if anyone really does, do they?\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2001 January, Jules Verne, chapter 5, in Frederick Paul Walter, transl., 20,000 Leagues under the Seas: An Underwater Tour of the World (Project Gutenberg eBook; #2488), Project Gutenberg, →OCLC, part 2",
          "text": "\"An underwater tunnel!\" he exclaimed. \"A connection between two seas! Who ever heard of such malarkey!\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, Johnny Rich, “The Application Process”, in Ruth Bushi, editor, The Push Guide to Choosing a University, 2nd edition, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Nelson Thornes, page 68",
          "text": "This book isn't about the application process itself – how best to complete your UCAS form, what the codes are for exam awarding bodies, what to say in interviews and all that mullarkey.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015, Liz Talley, Sweet Talking Man (Harlequin Superromance), Don Mills, Ont.: Harlequin Enterprises, page 337",
          "text": "That's a bunch of malarkey piled on malarkey. I knew the minute I saw you there was something special about you, [...]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Nonsense; rubbish."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Nonsense",
          "nonsense"
        ],
        [
          "rubbish",
          "rubbish#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(originally US, informal) Nonsense; rubbish."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "nonsense"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "NPR"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/məˈlɑːki/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/məˈlɑɹki/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑː(ɹ)ki"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-malarkey.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/ac/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Back_ache-malarkey.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Back_ache-malarkey.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/ac/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Back_ache-malarkey.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Back_ache-malarkey.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (RP)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "malachy"
    },
    {
      "word": "malarky"
    },
    {
      "word": "mallarky"
    },
    {
      "word": "mullarkey"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "falòrnia"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ximpleria"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "sense sentit"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "humpuuki"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "puuta heinää"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "roska"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Blödsinn"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "dated",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Humbug"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "Rhineland",
        "masculine",
        "regional"
      ],
      "word": "Kappes"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "dated",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Mumpitz"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Quatsch"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "Bavaria",
        "masculine",
        "regional"
      ],
      "word": "Schmarrn"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Schwachsinn"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Unfug"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Unsinn"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "malakía",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "μαλακία"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "sóder"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "maszlag"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "süketelés"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "süket duma"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "halandzsa"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "kitaláció"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "mese habbal"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "rizsa"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "balla"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "cazzata"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "fandonia"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "brednie"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bzdura"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "humbug"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "besteira"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "word": "bobeira"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "Brazil",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "rodela"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "fleacuri"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "nimicuri"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "nonsens"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "prostii"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "čušʹ",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "чушь"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "čepuxa",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "чепуха"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "majaderías"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "payasadas"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "sandeces"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "nonsense; rubbish — see also nonsense",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "tonterías"
    }
  ],
  "word": "malarkey"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-30 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (210104c and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.