bollocks
What does “bollocks” mean in English?
It refers to nonsense or something that doesn't make sense, and can also be used as an exclamation of frustration. Literally, it means testicles.
Literally “testicles”
Commonly used in British and Irish English, it serves a similar function to saying 'bullshit' in American English, often expressing disbelief or irritation.
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Related English words
bugger
3/5 · VulgarIt can be an insult, a term of endearment, or an expression of frustration. While it has a stronger sexual connotation in some contexts, it’s often used more casually in everyday speech.
balls
2/5 · CoarseIt refers to testicles but is often used as an exclamation of disbelief or to imply courage in phrases like 'having the balls to do something.'
bugger off
3/5 · VulgarIt's a rude way to tell someone to go away. Think of it as a more colorful version of 'get lost.'
choke the chicken
3/5 · VulgarThis is a crude, humorous way to say someone is masturbating.
About this data
Swear Atlas is a source-attested, AI-curated reference — not a native-speaker-certified dictionary. Meanings and the 1–5 Burn Rating are approximate editorial assessments that vary with context, region, tone and speaker. Inclusion of a word does not constitute endorsement of its use.
The literal gloss is a short editorial translation to show word-for-word sense, not an etymological claim.
“Sounds like” is an English-friendly approximation of how the word sounds, not an authoritative pronunciation. Where shown, the romanisation is a conventional Latin-script transliteration of the original spelling.
Term attested via LDNOOBW, 4troDev/profanity.csv, Viddexa SafeText (CC-BY-4.0, MIT). Editorial content © Swear Atlas.