ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rubbish

n. · adj. · v.
US //ˈɹəbɪʃ// UK //ɹˈʌbɪʃ// rub·bish
  1. 1 waste or garbage (n.)
    A2 Elementary British English

    things that you throw away because you do not want or need them anymore.

    discarded or useless material; refuse or litter. Uncountable in this sense.

    Example

    Don't forget to take the rubbish out to the bins tonight.

    Example

    The local council has introduced stricter regulations regarding how households must sort their rubbish into recyclable and non-recyclable categories.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the verb 'take out' or 'collect'.
  2. 2 nonsense (n.)
    B1 Intermediate British English Informal

    something that is not true or is very silly.

    ideas, statements, or beliefs that are considered nonsensical, worthless, or untrue.

    Example

    He claims he can run a marathon in two hours, but that's total rubbish.

    Example

    The politician's explanation for the budget deficit was dismissed as pure rubbish by independent economic analysts.
Show 2 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 very bad (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate British English Informal

    used to describe something that is of very poor quality or someone who is not good at a task.

    of extremely poor quality; worthless or incompetent.

    Example

    The film we saw last night was rubbish; we left before the end.

    Example

    I am absolutely rubbish at drawing, so I usually ask my sister to help me with my art projects.
  2. 4 to criticize (v.)
    C1 Advanced British English Informal

    to say that something or someone is very bad or has no value.

    to criticize or disparage something or someone severely.

    Example

    The critics rubbished her new book before it was even published.

    Example

    The opposition party was quick to rubbish the government's new environmental policy, calling it a superficial attempt to win votes.
Origin

Inherited from Middle English robous (“rubbish, building rubble”), further origin uncertain; possibly from Anglo-Norman rubous, rubouse, rubbouse (“refuse, waste material; building rubble”), and compare Anglo-Latin rebbussa, robousa, robusium, robusum, rubisum, rubusa, rubusium (although the Anglo-Norman and Anglo-Latin words may be derived from the English word instead of the other way around, as there are no known Old French cognates of the word). The English word may be related to rubble, though the connection is unclear. Possibly derived ultimately from Old Norse rubba (“to huddle, crowd together, heap up", also possibly "to rub, scrape”), from Proto-Germanic *rubbōną (“to rub, scrape”). Compare Swedish rubba (“to move, displace, dislodge, upset”). The verb is derived from the noun.

© 2026 English Reference