Horlicks

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
User avatar
Slava
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 8087
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Horlicks

Postby Slava » Fri Dec 03, 2010 5:06 pm

This is British slang for mucking things up.

To make a Horlicks of something.

It comes from the name of a drink meant to put you to sleep. I would say, then, that if you're on Horlicks you are probably asleep at the wheel, and that's how you make a Horlicks of whatever it is you're supposed to be doing.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

LukeJavan8
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 4423
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:16 pm
Location: Land of the Flat Water

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:12 pm

Harry Potter-esque.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

Audiendus
Wordmaster
Posts: 914
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 6:08 pm
Location: London, UK

Horlicks

Postby Audiendus » Wed Dec 08, 2010 10:22 am

This use of "Horlicks" probably arose as a euphemism for bollocks. Perhaps it was also influenced by shambles - another singular word with a "plural" ending. The "s" suggests the idea of spilling or shattering into pieces, and creation of disorder.


Return to “Good Word Suggestions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot], Baidu [Spider] and 26 guests