noun
bilge
bihlj
noun
1
The lowest part of a ship's hull, where water collects.
"The crew pumped out the bilge after the storm."
2
Nonsense; foolish or worthless talk.
"Don't listen to that bilge he posts online."
How to Use Bilge
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe bottom of a ship's hull (and its stagnant water), or, informally, rubbish talk.
When to use it
The "nonsense" sense is informal and mostly British.
Common pairings
pump the bilge
talking bilge
Word Forms
bilged past tense, bilges plural, bilges singular
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Etymology
Likely a variant of bulge, tied to the curved shape of a ship's lower hull.