"Hocus pocus" Definition

Definitions for the word "Hocus pocus" from multiple English dictionaries.

1. slang
gipsy words of magic, similar to the modern “presto fly.” The gipsies pronounce “_Habeas Corpus_,” HAWCUS PACCUS (_see_ Crabb’s _Gipsies’ Advocate_, p. 18); can this have anything to do with the origin of HOCUS POCUS? Turner gives OCHUS BOCHUS, an old demon. Pegge, however, states that it is a burlesque rendering of the words of the Roman Catholic Church service at the delivery of the host, HOC EST CORPUS, which the early Protestants considered as a species of conjuring, and ridiculed accordingly.
Source: The Slang Dictionary, 1864

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This page provides a list of definitions and meanings for "Hocus pocus" from various historical English dictionaries. By displaying multiple definitions, you can compare and contrast different meanings and nuances of a word, phrase, or slang. You can also see the changes in meaning of "Hocus pocus" over time by viewing the definitions from different dictionaries published at different times in history. The page also includes other information to help users expand their vocabulary and understand the context of the word.

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