Contextualizebeta

hocus-pocus

intj
/ˌhəʊkəs ˈpəʊkəs/UK/ˌhoʊkəs ˈpoʊkəs/US

Etymology

The interjection and noun are derived from pseudo-Latin magical incantations used by conjurers (formerly called “jugglers”) such as “hocus pocus, tontus talontus, vade celeriter jubeo” (by a particular 17th-century conjurer who allegedly adopted the moniker Hocus Pocus) and “hax pax max Deus adimax”. The suggestion that the term is a corruption of words from the Roman Catholic liturgy of the Eucharist, “hoc est enim corpus meum” (“this is my [i.e., Jesus’s] body”), was made in a sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Tillotson (1630–1694), but is not generally accepted. The verb is derived from the noun.

Definitions

  1. A phrase used (by a stage magician, etc.) as a magical incantation to bring about some…

    A phrase used (by a stage magician, etc.) as a magical incantation to bring about some change: abracadabra, hey presto.

  2. Some ineffectual action or speech, especially if intended to divert attention

    Some ineffectual action or speech, especially if intended to divert attention; nonsense.

  3. Religious or supernatural phenomena one holds to be nonsense or mere trickery

    Religious or supernatural phenomena one holds to be nonsense or mere trickery; superstitious mumbo-jumbo.

    • The ego thinks that his local time and space is all there is to reality, and that the busy affairs of state and trade are more important than a lot of obscurantist hocus-pocus.
  4. ›+ 4 more definitions

    1. Some action carried out to bring about change as if by magic

      Some action carried out to bring about change as if by magic; a trick; sleight of hand, trickery.

    2. A conjurer.

    3. A conjurer's trick.

    4. To play tricks or practise sleight of hand (on someone)

      To play tricks or practise sleight of hand (on someone); (by extension) to cheat, to deceive.

      • She was fair and above board dealing with her, and no hocusing-pocusing, and every farthing paid to the last shilling, though she did remark that sherry might have been three-and-six, and four were ru’nation ’igh.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for hocus-pocus. 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