hocus-pocus
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ho·cus-po·cus
(hō′kəs-pō′kəs)n.
1. Nonsense words or phrases used as a formula by quack conjurers.
2. A trick performed by a magician or juggler; sleight-of-hand.
3. Foolishness or empty pretense used especially to disguise deception or chicanery.
tr.v. ho·cus-po·cused, ho·cus-po·cus·ing, ho·cus-po·cus·es or ho·cus-po·cussed or ho·cus-po·cus·sing or ho·cus-po·cus·ses
To play tricks on; deceive.
[Possibly from an alteration of Latin hoc est corpus (meum), this is (my) body (words used in the Eucharist at the time of transubstantiation).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
hocus-pocus
(ˈhəʊkəsˈpəʊkəs)n
1. trickery or chicanery
2. mystifying jargon
3. an incantation used by conjurors or magicians when performing tricks
4. conjuring skill or practice. Also called: hokey-pokey
vb, -cuses, -cusing, -cused, -cuses, -cussing or -cussed
to deceive or trick (someone)
[C17: perhaps a dog-Latin formation invented by jugglers]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ho•cus-po•cus
(ˈhoʊ kəsˈpoʊ kəs)n., v. -cused, -cus•ing (esp. Brit.) -cussed, -cus•sing. n.
1. meaningless words used in conjuring.
2. a juggler's trick; sleight of hand.
3. mysterious or elaborate activity or talk, esp. for covering up a deception.
v.t. 4. to play tricks on or with.
[1615–25; pseudo-Latin rhyming formula used by magicians]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
hocus-pocus
Past participle: hocus-pocused/hocus-pocussed
Gerund: hocus-pocusing/hocus-pocussing
Imperative |
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hocus-pocus |
hocus-pocus |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
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Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
hocus-pocus
nounEsoteric, formulaic, and often incomprehensible speech relating to the occult:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
hocus-pocus
n
(= formula) → Hokuspokus m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
hocus-pocus
[ˈhəʊkəsˈpəʊkəs] n (trickery) → trucco; (words, of magician) → abracadabra m inv; (talk) → ciance fplCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
hocus-pocus
(houkəsˈpoukəs) noun trickery; words, actions etc which are intended to deceive or mislead (someone). The people were not deceived by the political hocus-pocus of the prospective candidate.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.