Taradiddle
Noun
- A petty lie.
- Pretentious nonsense.
Example Sentences
“They might seem like taradiddle, but my mother’s birthday traditions are very important to her.”
“Don’t tell me a taradiddle — who is responsible for this mess?”
“Instead of focusing on the taradiddle surrounding the holiday, let’s skip gifts and have a big family meal.”
Word Origin
British English, late 18th century
Why this word?
“Oh, what a bunch of taradiddle!” Say this with your best British accent, and you have an outcry about a bunch of nonsense, or perhaps even some childish falsehoods. This British slang has been in use since the late 18th century, but it might also be related to the character Jeremy Diddler from the 1803 farcical play “Raising the Wind” — Diddler was constantly borrowing and failing to repay small sums of money.