wazzock

English edit

Etymology edit

Possibly from wiseacre, influenced by pillock, or possibly wazz +‎ -ock. First attested in the 1984 novel When the Martians Land in Huddersfield by Mike Harding.^[1]^[2] Harding later suggested that the term came from the instrument used to fling a monarch's excrement out the window. ^[3]

Pronunciation edit

(UK) IPA^(key): /ˈwazək/
Audio (Southern England) (file)

Noun edit

wazzock (plural wazzocks)

(British, Ireland, Northern England, derogatory, slang) A stupid or annoying person.
- 2016 18 January, Victoria Atkins MP, House of Commons debate concerning Donald Trump:
  I turn, as I must, to Mr Trump. His comments about Muslims are wrong. His policy to close borders, if he is elected as President, is bonkers. If he met one or two of my constituents in one of the many excellent pubs in my constituency, they may well tell him that he is a wazzock for dealing with the issue in that way.

References edit

[1] Alex Games, Balderdash and Piffle (2010), page 242

[2] "wazzock", listed as a stupid or annoying person, was found in a 1976 recording, Mike Harding's One Man Show by the British folk singer, author and broadcaster Mike Harding

[3] ttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/shortcuts/2016/jan/19/why-wazzock-may-be-ideal-term-abuse-donald-trump#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIt%20was%20fairly%20common%20in,tool%20for%20performing%20this%20operation.

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