Idiom
cock-up
Meanings
A serious mistake or blunder that results in a messy or problematic outcome.
Definition
A cock-up is a big mistake or failure caused by doing something badly or disorganizedly.
A cock-up is a British English informal term for a serious mistake or mess-up, often one that causes problems for other people. It usually suggests incompetence, poor planning, or careless execution. People use it to criticize an error or situation that has gone badly wrong.
Examples
- The whole launch turned into a cock-up at the last minute.
- I made a complete cock-up of the travel bookings.
- It was a cock-up, but we fixed it before anyone noticed.
- They admitted the scheduling cock-up and apologized.
- Don’t blame her for the cock-up—there were no clear instructions.
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share a quick update or confirm plans.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to tease someone or make fun of them in a not-too-serious way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More nouns
- Monday morning quarterback A “Monday morning quarterback” is someone who criticizes decisions after the outcome is already kno…
- fifth wheel A fifth wheel is a person who feels unnecessary or left out in a group, especially with couples.
- long shot A long shot is something that has a very low chance of success.
- loose cannon A loose cannon is a person who behaves unpredictably and may cause trouble or harm.
- no-brainer A no-brainer is an obvious choice or decision that requires little or no thought.