hocus

English

Etymology

Verb

hocus (third-person singular simple present hocuses, present participle hocusing, simple past and past participle hocused)

1. To play a trick on; hoax; cheat.
2. To stupefy with drugged liquor.
   • 1905, Baroness Emmuska Orczy, chapter 5, The Hocussing of Cigarette^[1]:

     Then I had a good think on the subject of the hocussing of Cigarette, and I was reluctantly bound to admit that once again the man in the corner had found the only possible solution to the mystery.

3. To adulterate; to drug (liquor).

Noun

hocus (plural hocuses)

1. One who cheats or deceives.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of South to this entry?)

2. drugged liquor

See also

• hocus-pocus