Jump to content

ballyhoo

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

[edit]

Pronunciation

[edit]

Etymology 1

[edit]

Unknown. Probably an expressive gibberish word.

Noun

[edit]

ballyhoo (plural ballyhoos)

  1. Sensational or clamorous advertising or publicity.
  2. Noisy shouting or uproar.
    • 1981, “Elephant Talk”, in Discipline, performed by King Crimson:
      Talk, it's only talk / Babble, burble, banter / Bicker, bicker, bicker / Brouhaha, balderdash, ballyhoo / It's only talk / Back talk
Derived terms
[edit]
Translations
[edit]

Verb

[edit]

ballyhoo (third-person singular simple present ballyhoos, present participle ballyhooing, simple past and past participle ballyhooed)

  1. (transitive) To sensationalize or make grand claims.
    • 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Fireside Chat (7 May):
      Industry has picked up, railroads are carrying more freight, farm prices are better, but I am not going to indulge in issuing proclamations of over-enthusiastic assurance. We cannot ballyhoo ourselves back to prosperity.
Translations
[edit]
[edit]

Etymology 2

[edit]

From Spanish balajú.

Noun

[edit]

ballyhoo (plural ballyhoos)

  1. Certain species in family Hemiramphidae, inshore, surface-dwelling needlefish forming sizeable schools.
    1. Hemiramphus brasiliensis
Translations
[edit]

Etymology 3

[edit]

Possibly from Spanish balahú (schooner).

Noun

[edit]

ballyhoo (plural ballyhoos)

  1. An unseaworthy or slovenly ship.

References

[edit]