Street voices
Hugues
·
United States
"Bullshit, a word used to refer to something that you think is completely fake or dishonest. Alternatively, can also be used as a verb when you want to say that someone is lying or misinforming you. Dude, did you hear about that dork Rufus? Apparently, he got completely shitfaced the other night. What? That's bullshit. Come on, dude. You're bullshitting, dude."
What it means
Used when something sounds fake, dishonest, exaggerated, or just plain made up. It can label the nonsense itself, like That’s bullshit, or call out the person serving it, like You’re bullshitting me. Proper everyday American slang, blunt as a frying pan to the face, and weirdly versatile because it works in arguments, jokes, and casual disbelief.
Usage examples
"Dude, that guy says he met Beyoncé at a gas station and taught her jiu jitsu. That’s bullshit, quit bullshitting the whole bar."
"The whole story about the deer in the back seat was complete bullshit, my brother told it for three Christmases in a row, and we only realised when the original photo turned up showing a stuffed animal from the toy store on Main Street."
"The contractor said the bathroom would be done in three days, total bullshit, we are at day twelve, the tiles are still in their box on the landing, and the plumber has not answered his phone since last Thursday at half past four."
Where it comes from
American twentieth-century farmyard slang, originally the literal cattle excrement that workers shovelled away from the barn. The metaphorical leap to the verbal nonsense came easily: both products take up space and smell off. The word entered British and Commonwealth English via Hollywood and the military, and now serves as the universal label for any claim that does not pass the sniff test of the listener.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Your vote counts
Is this real street talk or have we lost the plot? Cast your vote.