DictionarybahDismissive reaction
interjection

bah

BAH/bɑː/

Expresses dismissive disapproval.

Bah, she says, dismissing the tangled earbuds with a wave.

A middle-aged Latino woman expresses dismissive annoyance at a tangled set of earbuds, turning her face away with a curled lip and a loose, outward flick of her hand.
Etymology

Probably from French bah, this exclamation expresses an immediate burst of scorn or dismay. It may simply have originated as a natural cry in such situations.

In context

Libranima578:01
Bah! said she, the man is drunk.
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame - Hugo (Illustrated Audiobook) Part 2 of 2

More examples

  • Bah, he muttered at the excuse.
  • She answered with a curt bah.
  • Bah expressed his disapproval.

Forms

bah

Similar words

humbug
An exclamation dismissing something as nonsense.
nonsense
A direct verbal rejection of a claim.