Definition of "nonsense"

nonsense

/ˈnɑn.sɛns/

noun
usually uncountable, plural nonsenses
1. Letters or words, in writing or speech, that have no meaning or pattern or seem to have no meaning.
2. An untrue statement.
3. That which is silly, illogical and lacks any meaning, reason or value; that which does not make sense.
4. Something foolish.
  Quotations
  and central banks lend vast sums against marshmallow backed securities, or other nonsenses creative bankers dreamed up.
  2008 October 9, “Nick Leeson has some lessons for this collapse”, in Telegraph.co.uk
5. (literature) A type of poetry that contains strange or surreal ideas, as, for example, that written by Edward Lear.
6. (biology) A damaged DNA sequence whose products are not biologically active, that is, that does nothing.
verb
third-person singular simple present nonsenses, present participle nonsensing, simple past and past participle nonsensed
1. To make nonsense of;
  Quotations
  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.
  a. 1909, Bernard Shaw, “The Red Robe”, in James Huneker, editor, Dramatic Opinions and Essays by G. Bernard Shaw, volume 2, page 73
2. To attempt to dismiss as nonsense; to ignore or belittle the significance of something; to render unimportant or puny.
  Quotations
  "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."
  1997 June 3, “Rockies respond to whip”, in Denver Post
  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.
  2000, Leon Garfield, Jason Cockcroft, Jack Holborn, page 131
  He further nonsensed press suggestions that the Petroleum Unit was set up to assist in the administration of sporting activities.
  2006 March 17, “Sierra Leone: Petroleum Unit Calls for Auditing”, in AllAfrica.com
3. (intransitive) To joke around, to waste time
  Quotations
  When he meant "go and get one" he said to go and get one, with no nonsensing around about "liking" to get one.
  1963, C. F. Griffin, The Impermanence of Heroes, page 170
adjective
comparative more nonsense, superlative most nonsense
1. Nonsensical.
2. (biochemistry) Resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon (not coding for an amino-acid).
interjection
1. An emphatic rejection of something one has just heard and does not believe or agree with.
  Quotations
  The operators present this as a passenger benefit by claiming it provides early notice. Nonsense! This just means that passengers can't find any information about the train they thought they were catching. It simply disappears.
  2023 January 11, Philip Haigh, “Comment: The worst chaos for 40 years”, in RAIL, number 974, page 4