botch

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an embarrassing mistake
  2. verb make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Etymology

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

In classic literature

Synonyms

blunder, blooper, bloomer, bungle, pratfall, foul-up, fuckup, flub, boner, boo-boo

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