Contextualizebeta

botch

verb
/bɒt͡ʃ/UK/bɑt͡ʃ/US

Etymology

From Middle English bocchen (“to mend”), of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old English bōtettan (“to improve; cure; remedy; repair”), related to boot, or from Middle Dutch botsen, butsen, boetsen (“to repair; patch”), related to beat. Doublet of bodge.

  1. derived from botsen
  2. inherited from bōtettan
  3. inherited from bocchen

Definitions

  1. To perform (a task) in an incompetent or unacceptable manner

    To perform (a task) in an incompetent or unacceptable manner; to make a mess of something.

    • A botched haircut seems to take forever to grow out.
    • And other diuels that ſuggest by treaſons, / Do botch and bungle vp damnation, / VVith patches, colours, and vvith formes being fetcht / From gliſt'ring ſemblances of piety: […]

  2. To do (something) without care or skill, or clumsily.

  3. To mend or repair (something) clumsily.

  4. ›+ 7 more definitions

    1. An action, job, or task that has been performed very badly

      An action, job, or task that has been performed very badly; a ruined, defective, or clumsy piece of work.

      • That I require a cleareneſſe; and with him; / To leaue no Rubs nor Botches in the Worke:

    2. A patch put on, or a part of a garment patched or mended in a clumsy manner.

    3. A mistake that is very stupid or embarrassing.

    4. A messy, disorderly or confusing combination

      A messy, disorderly or confusing combination; a conglomeration; hodgepodge.

    5. One who makes a mess of something.

    6. A tumour or other malignant swelling.

      • Botches and blaines muſt all his fleſh imboſs,

    7. A case or outbreak of boils or sores.

      • The Lord wil smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scabbe, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not bee healed.

The neighborhood

Derived

blotch, botcher, botchery, botch up, botchwork, botchy, botch job, botch-up

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for botch. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA