hocus-pocus

UK /ˌhəʊkəs ˈpəʊkəs/US /ˌhoʊkəs ˈpoʊkəs/

noun 5
exclamation 1
verb 1
forms 13

noun5

[before a noun] Some action carried out to bring about change as if by magic; a trick; sleight of hand, trickery.
Some ineffectual action or speech, especially if intended to divert attention; nonsense.
•
Religious or supernatural phenomena one holds to be nonsense or mere trickery; superstitious mumbo-jumbo.
- The ego thinks that his local time and space is all there is to reality, and that the busy affairs of state and trade are more important than a lot of obscurantist hocus-pocus. — 1981
(no longer used) A conjurer's trick.
(no longer used) A conjurer.

exclamation1

A phrase used (by a stage magician, etc.) as a magical incantation to bring about some change: abracadabra, hey presto.

verb1

•
(informal, old-fashioned) To play tricks or practise sleight of hand (on someone); (by extension) to cheat, to deceive.
- He was an admirable mimic, so that he kept us roaring with laughter, as he hocussed-pocussed, and fussed and fumed like the former captain of the Water Sprite. — 1897

forms

hocus-pocused · hocus-pocussed · hocused-pocused · hocussed-pocussed · hocus-pocusing · hocus-pocussing · hocusing-pocusing · hocussing-pocussing · hocus-pocuses · hocus-pocusses · hocuses-pocuses · hocusses-pocusses · hoci-poci