hocus-pocus

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: hocuspocus, hocus pocus, hocus-pocuses

Antonyms: hocuspocus, hocus pocus, hocus-pocuses

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Interjection

1. {{non-gloss|A [[phrase#Noun|phrase]] [[use#Verb|used]] (by a [[stage#Noun|stage]] [[magician]], etc.) as a [[magical]] [[incantation]] to [[bring about]] some [[change#Noun|change]]}}: [[abracadabra]], [[hey presto]].

Noun

1. {{lb|en|uncountable}} Some [[ineffectual]] [[action]] or [[speech]], especially if [[intend]]ed to [[divert]] [[attention]]; [[nonsense]].
2. {{lb|en|uncountable|derogatory}} [[religious|Religious]] or [[supernatural]] [[phenomenon|phenomena]] one [[hold#Verb|holds]] to be nonsense or mere [[trickery]]; [[superstitious]] [[mumbo-jumbo]].
3. {{lb|en|countable|uncountable|chiefly|US|also|attributively}} Some action [[carry out|carried out]] to [[bring about]] [[change#Noun|change]] as if by [[magic#Noun|magic]]; a [[trick#Noun|trick]]; [[sleight of hand]], [[trickery]].
4. {{lb|en|countable|obsolete}} A [[conjurer]].
5. {{lb|en|countable|obsolete}} A conjurer's trick.

Verb

1. {{lb|en|ambitransitive|colloquial|dated}} To [[play#Verb|play]] [[trick#Noun|tricks]] or [[practise]] [[sleight of hand]] (on someone); {{lb|en|by extension}} to [[cheat#Verb|cheat]], to [[deceive]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.