Slang

cock-up

This page is about the slang term cock-up

British English offensive!

Meaning

a big mistake, something done badly

For example

  • We got some guy in to fix the water heater, but he's made a total cock-up of it. We still haven't got any hot water.

  • Did you see our newspaper advertisement with the wrong phone number in it? What a cock-up!

Variety

This is typically used in British English but may be used in other varieties of English too.

Quick Quiz

There's been a cock-up with ticket sales. The concert hall can hold two thousand people, and they've sold

a. 1,500 tickets

b. 2,000 tickets

c. 2,500 tickets
a) 1,500 tickets b) 2,000 tickets c) 2,500 tickets

See Slang of the Day today

Contributor: Matt Errey