General
horsefeathers
What does horsefeathers mean?
Used as a noun meaning worthless nonsense.
"His excuse was pure horsefeathers."
Origin
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.'
Frequently asked questions
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.
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