Definition
Not deserving serious consideration; unimportant; useless, worthless.
Origins
Originally United States Army slang, said to be from birds pecking at cattle and horse dung.
In Context
- "Sgt. Buck Erickson, Camp Ellis, Ill., News: "Don't take too seriously the belief that we have football at Camp Ellis solely for the entertainment of the personnel—that's strictly for the birds. The Army is a winner … The Army like to win—that's the most fortunate thing in the world for America.""
- "Burly Arthur [Godfrey] works hard. Six days a week, 52 weeks a year, he "yaps at a mike" from 6 to 7:45 a.m. over Manhattan's WABC. […] Says he: "This gettin' up at 5 o'clock is something for the birds.""
- "The advertise in about a thousand magazines, always showing some hot-shot guy on a horse jumping over a fence. […] And underneath the guy on the horse's picture, it always says: "Since 1888 we have been molding boys into splendid, clear-thinking young men." Strictly for the birds. They don't do any damn more molding at Pencey than they do at any other school."
- "One ally of the Deputy Prime Minister said: "This is blue-sky thinking, but it is strictly for the birds. It is going to cost billions.""
- "New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson expressed confidence on his way out of the courtroom Friday as the eight-day trial to determine his mental competency came to a close. […] When asked if the trial has taken a lot out of him, Benson said, "Ahh, no, man. You know, it's not fun, it's not any fun. To have your kids turn against you, that's for the birds.""
Also Said As
- pointless
- base
- contemptible
- foolish
- for the birds
- futile
- frivolous
- idle
- ignorable
- immaterial
- inconsequential
- inconsiderable
- indifferent
- insignificant
- like a fart in a windstorm
- meager
- mean
- minor
- miserable
- negligible
- nothingburger
- nondescript
- paltry
- petty
- picayune
- picayunish
- piddling
- piddly
- pissant
- piteous
- pitiful
- pointless
- silly
- simple
- slight
- tin-pot
- trifling
- trivial
- two-bit
- unimportant
- unweighty
- vain
- worthless
- wretched
- for the birds
- good-for-naught
- good-for-nothing
- not worth a damn
- not worth a dime
- not worth a plug nickel
- not worth a brass farthing
- not worth a cent
- not worth a cress
- not worth a curse
- not worth a Continental
- not worth a farthing
- not worth a nickel
- not worth a penny
- not worth salt
- not worth a whistle
- of no value
- otiose
- valueless
- null
- worthless
- worth nothing
- wutless
See Also
- shit for the birds