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- Dictionaryold wives' tale
noun
- 1. a widely held traditional belief that is now thought to be unscientific or incorrect.
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OLD WIVES' TALE definition: 1. a piece of advice or a theory, often related to matters of health, that was believed in the past…. Learn more.
The meaning of OLD WIVES' TALE is an often traditional belief that is not based on fact : superstition. How to use old wives' tale in a sentence.
An " old wives' tale " is a colloquial expression referring to spurious or superstitious claims. They can be said sometimes to be a type of urban legend, said to be passed down by older women to a younger generation. Such tales are considered superstition, folklore or unverified claims with exaggerated and/or inaccurate details.
An old wives' tale is a well-known belief that is actually just superstition. One old wives' tale you may have heard warns that if you swallow chewing gum, it will stay in your stomach for years.
noun. a traditional belief, story, or idea that is often of a superstitious nature. old wives' tale. noun. a belief, usually superstitious or erroneous, passed on by word of mouth as a piece of traditional wisdom.
An old wives' tale is a traditional belief, especially one which is incorrect. Ann Bradley dispels the old wives' tales and gives the medical facts. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary .
old wives’ tale meaning, definition, what is old wives’ tale: a belief based on old ideas that are now...: Learn more.
OLD WIVES' TALE meaning: a common belief about something that is not based on facts and that is usually false.
Old wives' tales really are old. Way before people invented paper and pen to write down their thoughts and teach others, they told old wives' tales and passed them along from person to person as stories. The term “old wives' tales" was well-known hundreds of years ago.
Meaning: A proverb or piece of advice that is commonly accepted as truth and is handed down the generations, but is sometimes false. Country: International English | Subject Area: Men & women | Usage Type: Both or All Words Used. Contributor: Patrick Zacarola.
