An Australian slang word for a false rumor or piece of unreliable gossip; a rumor that spreads without evidence.
Australian military slang from World War I, possibly derived from the Furphy water cart company whose tanks were used by soldiers. Soldiers would gather around these carts and share rumors and gossip, giving the cart's name to unreliable stories.
This is pure Australian military culture captured in one word—soldiers gossiping by the water trucks during WWI created a term that's still used today for any baseless rumor. It's one of the best examples of how practical, everyday objects can accidentally become slang for completely different concepts.
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