The English language has no shortage of words that mean nonsensical talk, including one that’s piqued a listener’s curiosity: How did flannel come to mean “empty chatter” or “hot air,” as in “Don’t give me any of that flannel!”?
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Flannel was and is a very cheap material. I guess don’t give me that old flannel referred to the fact people didn’t want this material in place of cotton for example. So don’t give me that rubbish.