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Nonsense vs Silly - What's the difference?

nonsense | silly |

As nouns the difference between nonsense and silly

is that nonsense is letters or words, in writing or speech, that have no meaning or seem to have no meaning while silly is (colloquial) a silly person; a fool.

As adjectives the difference between nonsense and silly

is that nonsense is resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon (not coding for an amino-acid) while silly is (label) pitiable; deserving of compassion; helpless.

As a verb nonsense

is to make nonsense of.

nonsense

English

Alternative forms

* nonsence (archaic)

Noun

(wikipedia nonsense) (en-noun)
  • Letters or words, in writing or speech, that have no meaning or seem to have no meaning.
    • After my father had a stroke, every time he tried to talk, it sounded like nonsense .
  • An untrue statement.
    • He says that I stole his computer, but that's just nonsense .
  • Something foolish.
  • * 2008 , "Nick Leeson has some lessons for this collapse", Telegraph.co.uk, Oct 9, 2008
    • and central banks lend vast sums against marshmallow backed securities, or other nonsenses creative bankers dreamed up.
  • (literature) A type of poetry that contains strange or surreal ideas, as, for example, that written by .
  • (biology) A damaged DNA sequence whose products are not biologically active, that is, that does nothing.

    • Synonyms

    : See * (something that lacks meaning or absurd statement) ** (mostly colloquialisms or slang) balderdash, baloney, bull, bulldust, bunk, codswallop, drivel, gibberish, hogwash, hooey (US), horse hockey, malarkey, manure, poppycock, prattle, rhubarb (chiefly British), rubbish, twaddle ** (vulgar slang) bollocks (British), bullshit, crap, horseshit (US)

    Derived terms

    * nonsensical * nonsensification * nonsensify

    See also

    * (biology) missense

    Verb

    (nonsens)
  • To make nonsense of
  • * Bernard Shaw, "The Red Robe", in James Huneker ed., Dramatic Opinions and Essays by G. Bernard Shaw , volume II, page 73:
    • At the Haymarket all this is nonsensed by an endeavor to steer between Mr. Stanley Weyman's rights as author of the story and the prescriptive right of the leading actor to fight popularly and heroically against heavy odds.
  • To attempt to dismiss as nonsense.
  • * 1997 , "Rockies respond to whip", Denver Post , Jun 3, 1997:
    • "They haven't nonsensed these workouts. They've taken them and used them very well. I didn't know how they'd respond, but they've responded."
  • * 2000 , Leon Garfield, Jason Cockcroft, Jack Holborn , page 131:
    • Very commanding: very much 'end of this nonsensing' . Mister Fared spread his hands and shook his thin head imperceptibly, as if to say he understood
  • * 2006 , Sierra Leone: Petroleum Unit Calls for Auditing , AllAfrica.com, Mar 17, 2006:
    • He further nonsensed press suggestions that the Petroleum Unit was set up to assist in the administration of sporting activities.
  • To joke around, to waste time
  • * 1963 , C. F. Griffin, The Impermanence of Heroes , page 170:
    • When he meant "go and get one" he said to go and get one, with no nonsensing around about "liking" to get one.

    Synonyms

    * pooh-pooh, rubbish, whangdoodle

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon (not coding for an amino-acid).

    • silly

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (label) Pitiable; deserving of compassion; helpless.
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , I.vi:
    • A silly man, in simple weedes forworne, / And soild with dust of the long dried way; / His sandales were with toilesome trauell torne, / And face all tand with scorching sunny ray
  • * (Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
    • After long storms with which my silly bark was tossed sore.
  • * (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) (1772-1834)
    • The silly buckets on the deck.
  • (label) Simple, unsophisticated, ordinary; rustic, ignorant.
  • * 1633 , (John Donne), "Sapho to Philænis":
    • For, if we justly call each silly man'' / A ''little island , What shall we call thee than?
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
    • A fourth man, in a silly habit.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • All that did their silly thoughts so busy keep.
  • Foolish, showing a lack of good sense and wisdom; frivolous, trifling.
  • Irresponsible, showing irresponsible behaviors.
  • Semiconscious, witless.
  • (label) Of a fielding position, very close to the batsman; closer than short.
  • Simple, not intelligent, unrefined.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1935, author= George Goodchild
    • , title=Death on the Centre Court, chapter=1 , passage=“Anthea hasn't a notion in her head but to vamp a lot of silly mugwumps. She's set her heart on that tennis bloke
  • (label) Happy; fortunate; blessed.
    • (Chaucer)
  • (label) Harmless; innocent; inoffensive.
  • * (Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
    • The silly virgin strove him to withstand.
  • * Robynson (More's Utopia)
    • A silly , innocent hare murdered of a dog.

    Derived terms

    * sillily (adverb) * silly season

    Antonyms

    * ("playful"): pious

    Synonyms

    * ("playful"): charming

    Noun

    (sillies)
  • (colloquial) A silly person; a fool.
  • (colloquial) A mistake.

    • Anagrams

    * * * 1000 English basic words