absolutely worthless
Preserved but no longer current.
It has been suggested that the term originated in the old-time tinker's custom of blocking up the hole in the article he was mending with a pellet of bread, thus making a dam which would prevent the solder from running through. This pellet was, of course, thrown away as useless when the job was finished.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “absolutely worthless” mean?
It has been suggested that the term originated in the old-time tinker's custom of blocking up the hole in the article he was mending with a pellet of bread, thus making a dam which would prevent the solder from running through. This pellet was, of course, thrown away as useless when the job was finished.
Is “absolutely worthless” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.