botch

¹

[boch]

verb (used with object)

1. to spoil by poor work; bungle (often followed byup ).

   He botched up the job thoroughly.

   Synonyms: flub, butcher, muff, mismanage, ruin

2. to do or say in a bungling manner.

3. to mend or patch in a clumsy manner.

noun

1. a clumsy or poor piece of work; bungle.

   He made a complete botch of his first attempt at baking.

2. a clumsily added part or patch.

3. a disorderly or confused combination.

botch

²

[boch]

noun

1. a swelling on the skin; a boil.

2. an eruptive disease.

botch

/ bɒtʃ /

verb

1. to spoil through clumsiness or ineptitude

2. to repair badly or clumsily

noun

1. Also called: botch-up. a badly done piece of work or repair (esp in the phrase make a botch of ( something ))

Other Word Forms

• botcher noun
• botchery noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of botch¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English bocchen “to patch up”; perhaps to be identified with bocchen “to swell up, bulge” (verbal derivative of bocche botch ² ), though sense development unclear

Origin of botch²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English bocche, botch(e), from Old North French boche, dialectal variant of Old French, Middle French boce boss ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of botch¹

C14: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

In Paris, the U.S. women’s 4×100 relay won gold—but the men’s relay was disqualified after another botched handoff.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

How is a botched haircut relevant to Alcaraz winning Sunday’s men’s final–his second U.S.

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There are now 65 inquests ongoing into the deaths of patients of Ian Paterson, who was convicted of wounding patients with botched and unnecessary operations in 2017 and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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She also criticised "unforced errors" by the government over its botched attempt to cut disability benefits, which has been put on ice pending a review, and cuts to winter fuel payments that were partially reversed.

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It has faced intense scrutiny of its business practices since 2022, when it botched a rollout of tickets for Taylor Swift's highly-anticipated Eras Tour.

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Related Words

• bobble 
• bumble 
• bungle 
• err 
• flub 
• fumble 
• miscalculate 
• mishandle 
• misjudge 
• mismanage 
• muff 
• screw up