Word
bah
US/ˈbɑ/
UK/bˈɑː/
Definition
interj. you say this when you want to show that you do not care about something or think it is silly. It is a quick way to show you are annoyed or do not believe what someone said.
interj. expresses dismissive contempt, annoyance, or disbelief. Often associated with a grumpy or cynical persona, particularly in literary contexts.
Examples
“Bah! I don't believe a word of it.”
“When asked if he wanted to join the holiday party, the old man simply muttered 'Bah!' and closed his door.”
“He dismissed the entire proposal with a sharp 'Bah!', suggesting that the financial projections were nothing more than optimistic fantasies designed to lure unsuspecting investors.”
Examples
simple
“Bah! I don't believe a word of it.”
contextual
“When asked if he wanted to join the holiday party, the old man simply muttered 'Bah!' and closed his door.”
complex
“He dismissed the entire proposal with a sharp 'Bah!', suggesting that the financial projections were nothing more than optimistic fantasies designed to lure unsuspecting investors.”
Usage
Typically stands alone as a complete utterance or precedes a dismissive statement.
Etymology
Early 19th century, probably borrowed from French bah.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.