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neither use nor ornament

(UK, colloquial, euphemistic, chiefly, of a person) Useless.

ˈniðɚ ˈjus ˈnɔɹ ˈɔɹnəməntCurrent195 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(UK, colloquial, euphemistic, chiefly, of a person) Useless.

Where is that lad? He's neither use nor ornament!
Origin: Implying that the subject has neither practical nor aesthetic value. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Heard in the wild
  • “Not only is twitter a cesspit it doesn’t even work properly. The search function is neither use nor ornament.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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