1. (n.) A contrivance for clapping in theaters.

2. (n.) A trick or device to gain applause; humbug.

3. (a.) Contrived for the purpose of making a show, or gaining applause; deceptive; unreal.

absurdity amphigory argument argument by analogy argumentum ad baculum argumentum ad captandum argumentum ad hominem babble babblement bad case balderdash balls baloney begging the question bibble-babble blabber blague blather bombast bosh bull bullshit bunk bunkum circular argument crap crowd-pleasing argument double-talk drivel drool empty words eyewash fallacy fiddle-faddle fiddledeedee flam flapdoodle flimflam flummery folderol formal fallacy fudge fustian gabble galimatias gammon gibber gibberish gibble-gabble gobbledygook hocus-pocus hogwash hoke hokum hooey humbug humbuggery hysteron proteron insincere argument jabber jargon jiggery-pokery logical fallacy malarkey material fallacy mere rhetoric moonshine mumbo jumbo narrishkeit niaiserie non sequitur nonsense pack of nonsense palaver paralogism petitio principii philosophism prate prattle pseudosyllogism rant rigamarole rigmarole rodomontade rubbish skimble-skamble solecism sophism sophistry stuff and nonsense stultiloquence trash trumpery twaddle twattle twiddle-twaddle vaporing verbal fallacy waffling weak point