Bilge
Noun
Definition: The lowest part of a ship's hull, where water and waste collect.
Definition: Nonsense or foolish talk.
Synonyms: Nonsense, Rubbish, Balderdash
Antonyms: Sense, Logic
- Water was leaking into the bilge of the ship.
- I can't stand listening to his bilge about politics.
- The bilge of a ship is a low, dirty area where waste collects, similar to nonsense or foolish talk.
Etymology:
Middle English 'bilge' (noun), from Old French 'bille' or 'bille du navire', meaning "bill" or "trunk of a tree", possibly influenced by Old Norse 'forbilmja' meaning "bottom plank of a ship's side".
Historical Usage:The term 'bilge' has been used since the Middle Ages to refer to the lowest part of a ship's hull. The figurative usage to describe nonsense or foolish talk emerged later.
Related Idioms:
"Pump out the bilge"
Explanation:This phrase refers to getting rid of or eliminating falsehoods, lies, or nonsense.
Misconceptions:
Bilge is always associated with waste or nonsense.
Explanation:While the primary use of 'bilge' is in reference to the lower part of a ship's hull or nonsense talk, it can also be used figuratively to describe the contents of a cask or barrel, as mentioned in your approximate meaning. This usage, however, is less common in contemporary language.