interjection
General Slang
Horsefeathers
/ˈhɔːrsˌfɛðərz/ · interjection · slang
A 1920s cry of 'nonsense!' since horses have no feathers in the first place.
0
Definitions
1
Used as a noun meaning worthless nonsense.
“His excuse was pure horsefeathers.”
by community
0
2
An exclamation rejecting something as rubbish, lies, or absurdity.
“Horsefeathers! That deal was never on the table.”
by community
0
3
A polite stand-in for a stronger expletive of frustration.
“Oh, horsefeathers, I left my keys at home.”
by community
0
Horsefeathers In A Sentence
You expect me to believe that? Horsefeathers.
The whole report is horsefeathers from top to bottom.
Horsefeathers! The bank's closed already.
Origin & Usage
An American coinage of the early-to-mid 1920s, credited to cartoonist Billy DeBeck. The impossibility of a horse having feathers made it a perfect, family-friendly way to shout 'nonsense.'
Variants
horse feathers
People Also Ask
What does 'horsefeathers' mean?
It means nonsense or rubbish. It was a clean way to dismiss a tall tale in the 1920s.
Where did 'horsefeathers' come from?
Cartoonist Billy DeBeck is credited with coining it in the early 1920s. The Marx Brothers later used it as a film title in 1932.
Is 'horsefeathers' a curse word?
No, it's a mild, almost wholesome exclamation, used in place of stronger language.
Comments 0