Argle-Bargle
[ahr-gəl-BAHR-gəl]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Scots, 19th century
1.
Copious but meaningless talk or writing; nonsense.
Examples of Argle-Bargle in a sentence
"The instructions for setting up my home-theater system are 48 pages of argle-bargle."
"When I’m nervous, I talk constantly, but it’s all argle-bargle."
About Argle-Bargle
“Argle-bargle” is based on the Scots word “argle,” possibly a mispronunciation of “argue” and meaning the same. The Scots expression “argy-bargy” is a variation.
Did you Know?
Like “whoopsy-daisy” or “hurly-burly,” “argle-bargle” is an example of rhyming reduplication — when a new word is created by repeating a word or adding a second similar-sounding word. “Argle-bargle” was based on the Scots word “argle,” meaning “argue,” but it took on the meaning of a verbal argument. Over time, “argle-bargle” went from describing a multiparty argument to an expression of disdain for a copious volume of words that don’t say much of anything at all.
