cockup
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A serious mistake or blunder; a situation that has been badly handled or mismanaged, resulting in confusion or failure. This word refers to a significant error or a mess caused by incompetence or poor planning.
Usage
- This word is a noun and is typically used in informal or colloquial contexts.
- It is often used to describe a situation that has gone wrong due to human error.
- It can be used with verbs like "make," "be," or "cause."
- Note: This term is considered informal and mildly vulgar in some contexts. It is more common in British English.
Examples
- The event's scheduling was a complete cockup; nobody knew when or where to go.
- There's been a cockup with the hotel reservations, and they don't have a room for us.
- The new manager made a real cockup of the budget report.
Advanced Usage
- "to make a cockup of (something)": To handle something very badly; to botch a task.
- He made a right cockup of fixing the sink; now it's leaking even more.
Variants and Related Words
- Cock up (verb, phrasal verb): To make a mistake or mess of something.
- I'm afraid I've cocked up the travel arrangements.
- Botch (noun/verb): A clumsy or poor piece of work; to carry out a task badly.
- Fiasco (noun): A complete and embarrassing failure.
Synonyms
- Blunder
- Mess
- Foul-up
- Snafu (informal)
- Debacle
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
- Cock up (phrasal verb): As noted above, this is the verbal form meaning to make an error or spoil something.
- Don't let him organize the meeting; he'll only cock it up.
Related Idioms
- A dog's breakfast: A mess; something done very badly. (Common in British English)
- The presentation was a real dog's breakfast—a total cockup.
Noun
- something badly botched or muddled