botch

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

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

Verb

botch (third-person singular simple present botches, present participle botching, simple past and past participle botched)

  1. (transitive) To perform (a task) in an unacceptable or incompetent manner; to make a mess of something
    Synonyms: ruin, bungle; see also Thesaurus:spoil
    A botched haircut seems to take forever to grow out.
  2. To do something without skill, without care, or clumsily.
    (Can we add an example for this sense?)
  3. To repair or mend clumsily.
    Synonyms: bodge; see also Thesaurus:kludge
Derived terms
Translations
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Noun

botch (plural botches)

  1. An action, job, or task that has been performed very badly; a ruined, defective, or clumsy piece of work.
  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.
    (Can we add an example for this sense?)
  4. A messy, disorderly or confusing combination; conglomeration; hodgepodge.
  5. (archaic) One who makes a mess of something.
    Synonym: bungler
    • 1863, J[oseph] Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Church-yard. [], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Tinsley, Brothers, [], →OCLC:
      If it was the last word I ever spoke, Puddock, you're a good-natured—he's a gentleman, Sir—and it was all my own fault; he warned me, he did, again' swallyin' a dhrop of it—remember what I'm saying, doctor—'twas I that done it; I was always a botch, Puddock, an' a fool; and—and—gentlemen—good-bye.
Derived terms
Translations

See also

Etymology 2

From Middle English botche, from Anglo-Norman boche, from Late Latin bocia (boss).

Noun

botch (plural botches)

  1. (obsolete) A tumour or other malignant swelling.
  2. A case or outbreak of boils or sores.
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