See hocus-pocus.
hocus (third-person singular simple present hocusses or hocuses, present participle hocussing or hocusing, simple past and past participle hocussed or hocused)
To play a trick on, to trick (someone); to hoax; to cheat.
(obsolete) To stupefy (someone) with drugged liquor (especially in order to steal from them).
(obsolete) To drug (liquor).
(obsolete) To adulterate (food).
hocus (plural hocuses)
(obsolete) A magician, illusionist, one who practises sleight of hand.
(obsolete) One who cheats or deceives.
Trick; trickery.
(obsolete) Drugged liquor.
• chous
Source: Wiktionary
Ho"cus, v. t. Etym: [See Hocus-pocus.]
1. To deceive or cheat. Halliwell.
2. To adulterate; to drug; as, liquor is said to be hocused for the purpose of stupefying the drinker. Dickens.
3. To stupefy with drugged liquor. Thackeray.
Ho"cus, n.
1. One who cheats or deceives. South.
2. Drugged liquor.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
23 November 2024
(adjective) concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations; “theoretical science”
Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.
