rubbish

rubbish — noun

1. things such as old food containers, used paper, broken objects, and other materi

1.nounB1
Definition

things such as old food containers, used paper, broken objects, and other materials that people throw away because they no longer have any use for them

Example

Liang dropped the empty milk carton into the kitchen rubbish bin.

collocation: rubbish bin

Tunde carried two heavy bags of garden rubbish out to the front gate.

Common collocations
  • rubbish bin
  • rubbish bag
  • rubbish dump
  • rubbish tip
  • rubbish collection
  • household rubbish
  • garden rubbish
  • kitchen rubbish
  • plastic rubbish
  • a pile of rubbish
  • a bag of rubbish
  • a piece of rubbish
Synonyms
  • trash

    the usual American term for waste material; also common in Canada

  • garbage

    especially kitchen and food waste; used in both British and American English

  • waste

    a more general and formal term for materials no longer needed

  • litter

    waste that has been left lying in a public place, not in a bin

Grammar Patterns

rubbish + noun (rubbish bin, rubbish dump, rubbish collection)

Usage Note

In American English, trash or garbage is more common than rubbish for this sense. Rubbish is an uncountable noun, so use a piece of rubbish for a single item.

Common Mistakes

There are three rubbishes on the floor.
There are three pieces of rubbish on the floor.
rubbish is uncountable in this sense.

2. a film, book, idea, article, or statement that you believe has very little value

2.nounB1
Definition

a film, book, idea, article, or statement that you believe has very little value or is completely untrue

Example

Henry said the film was complete rubbish and walked out after twenty minutes.

collocation: complete rubbish

Quinn read the article and thought it was absolute rubbish full of lies.

collocation: absolute rubbish

Common collocations
  • complete rubbish
  • absolute rubbish
  • total rubbish
  • a load of rubbish
  • a pile of rubbish
  • talk rubbish
  • believe rubbish
  • write rubbish
Synonyms
  • nonsense

    focuses on something being untrue or silly rather than low quality

  • trash

    the American equivalent for poor-quality or worthless material

  • crap

    very informal and impolite; stronger than rubbish

Usage Note

Often used with strong adjectives such as complete, absolute, or total before it. A common fixed phrase is a load of rubbish or a pile of rubbish, meaning something is completely worthless or untrue.

Common Mistakes

This is a rubbish.' (meaning a worthless item)
This is rubbish.
Do not use a/an before uncountable rubbish in this sense.

rubbish — verb

rubbish — adjective

rubbish — idiom

rubbish — exclamation

Word family

  • rubbishy
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe materials that people throw away, but they differ in region, context, and specific type. Rubbish is the usual term in British English for general household waste. Trash and garbage are the standard American equivalents — trash tends to cover dry waste like paper and packaging, while garbage often refers to wet kitchen waste (food scraps). Waste is the most general and formal term, covering any material no longer needed, including industrial or hazardous materials. Litter is specifically waste that has been dropped or left on the ground in public places, not in a bin. Refuse (pronounced REF-yoos) is a formal term often used by local councils and waste management services. In everyday use: 'I took out the rubbish' (British) versus 'I took out the trash' (American); 'Please do not drop litter in the park' (waste on the ground); 'The waste is sent to a processing plant' (formal or industrial context).

trash ↗garbage ↗waste ↗litter ↗refuse ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • a load of rubbish
  • a pile of rubbish
  • a piece of rubbish

Etymology

Anglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Rubbish comes from the Middle English word robous, meaning broken stones or debris from demolished buildings. This term entered English from the Anglo-French rumbous, which referred to the rubble and waste produced by construction work. By the 1400s the word was being used for general household waste. The figurative meaning of 'poor quality' or 'nonsense' appeared in the 1500s and 1600s. The use of rubbish as a verb and an adjective developed more recently, mainly in British English over the last hundred years or so.