Meaning of Idiom “Hocus-Pocus”
1. Hocus pocus refers to something done to confuse or befuddle someone, such as meaningless talk.
2. Trickery or misdirection designed to conceal another activity or to conceal the truth.
3. Unrelated or purposeless activity that magicians use to distract and misdirect their audience while they perform a trick. Examples are the waving a wand to distract from a sleight of hand illusion or some other trick.
In previous times, hocus pocus was one of many exotic sounding “magic” words that magicians used to to distract their audience or make them think they were using the magic words to make supernatural things occur. Other examples of well-known magic words are abracadabra, shazam, alakazam, sim sala bim, and open sesame. Most of these words seem to be mock-Latin.
Sentence Examples
“I’m not interested in therapy. It’s a bunch of hocus-pocus about parenting issues and navel-gazing.”
“He’s a typical self-help charlatan. He stands on stage and offers a lot of hocus-pocus nonsense while pretending to have it all figured out. It’s the gift of gab and nothing more.”
“These tech-billionaires are all alike. They are merely savvy investigators that spew a bunch of technical-sounding hocus-pocus to make you think they are a genius, when in fact they are just making a fortune off the genius of others.”
“We’ve known each other for a long time. I don’t believe in magic, a lot of superstitious hocus-pocus. I’m going after a find of incredible historical significance.” — Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
“…the technology on Krypton, Superman’s home world, was based on manipulating the growth of crystals.” “Sounds like hocus-pocus to me.” “Well, naturally, to the primitive mind, any sufficiently advanced technology would be indistinguishable from magic.” — Superman Returns (2006)
“They say they used to burn witches there. Hocus pocus.” “The entire witchcraft scare as far back as the 14th century, was started by the medical profession.” — The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
“We’re making huge strides forward in the SPRC. A discerning vision like yours could really help.” “I don’t do hocus pocus, Shackleton. I suggest you don’t either.” — Red Lights (2012)
“You may not know it, but you are deep in voodoo country. I don’t believe in the hocus-pocus of it but the spiritual force behind it.” — Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)
“What effect a little smoke is. With a dash of hocus-pocus and the scent of burning — And the scent of burning sulphur in the air. I’m a fraud, a hoke, a charlatan, a joke…” — Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
“He was found “not guilty” by reason of insanity. And since he is no longer…” “That is just legal hocus-pocus and when he murders again, you will be directly responsible.” — Psycho II (1983)
Origin
The term “hocus-pocus” has been used since the 17th century as a “magical invocation.” During the 1600s, conjurers could have reasonably expected audiences to believe in the magical powers of such word spells, along with others like abracadabra or shazam. Today, however, hocus-pocus is used in a mock fashion or as an idiom. It may have be mock-Latin, having derived from from the Catholic ritual of the consecration of the host during the Latin Mass, using the Latin phrase “Hoc est corpore meum” (This is My body). Some believe, however, that it derived from a meaningless satirization of this phrase, “Hax pax max Deus adimax.” There are other competing theories, none confirmed.
It is believed that the English word “hoax” may have derived from hocus-pocus. This too, is unconfirmed. The related word “hokum” used to describe pretentious nonsense or melodramatic, exaggerated acting, may also have been influenced by hocus-pocus, although it is also perhaps modelled on the similar word bunkum.
