释义 |
bollockn.adj.Origin: Apparently formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: ball n.1, -ock suffix. Etymology: Apparently < ball n.1 (although this is first attested later) + -ock suffix. Compare ball n.1 12.The α. forms predominate in early use (until at least the 17th cent.), but the β. forms are now more common. (The β. forms are of uncertain phonological development, perhaps showing rounding as a result of the influence of a preceding labial consonant: for some possible parallels see E. J. Dobson Eng. Pronunc. 1500–1700 (ed. 2, 1968) II. §194 note 3.) The word is sometimes written with asterisks, dashes, etc., to represent suppressed letters, so as to avoid the charge of obscenity. The form bollixes shows a morphological double plural. In sense A. 5, short for dog's bollocks n. at dog n.1 Compounds 3d With bollock knife n. at Compounds perhaps compare classical Latin clūnāculum sacrificial knife (apparently < clūnis hindquarters, buttocks, haunches). Also attested early as a byname (Mataðan Balluc (a1035)), and in place names, as Ballocþorn (1275; Derbyshire, now lost), Balloklaw (1415; now Bullock Low, Derbyshire). colloquial and slang in later use. A. n.the world > life > the body > secretory organs > gland > specific glands > [noun] > testicle or testicles α. eOE Cleopatra Gloss. in J. J. Quinn (Ph.D. diss., Stanford Univ.) (1956) 29 Testiculi, beallucas. c1350 Nominale in f. 42 Coyloun, ballok. a1425 (a1382) (Corpus Oxf.) Lev. xxii. 24 Al beeste that..kitt and taken awey the ballokes is. 1481 W. Caxton tr. ii. vi. 73 Castours..whan they ben honted..byte wyth their teeth their owne genytoirs or ballocks and lete them falle. ?1541 R. Copland ii. sig. Ciij Cruddy and kyrnele, as is the flesshe of the ballockes. 1653 T. Urquhart tr. F. Rabelais i. 4 The ballocks of Lorraine, which never dwell in Codpieces, but fall down to the bottome of the breeches. a1680 in Earl of Rochester (1680) 73 Against the Charmes our Ballocks have, How weak all humane skill is. 1706 R. Feilding (single sheet) Kiss my Arse is too vulgar; Kiss my Ballocks. 1737 tr. F. Rabelais III. 176 Nay truly,..Fryar John, my left Ballock, I will believe thee, for thou dealest plain with me. 1863 J. C. Richmond Let. 4 Apr. in T. P. Lowry (1994) xv. 160 The ‘ramrod and ballocks’, even now larger, stiff and rising at the thought. c1890 Jupiter..grabbed hold of the cuss by the neck and the ballachs. 1968 G. M. Williams viii. 211 If he lived till he was ninety and he met any of them in Kilcaddie High Street he'd still want to kick the ballocks off them. 1999 W. L. Heat Moon x. 438 Water..at first so hot it's uncomfortable; men make interesting faces when they feel their ballocks about to be cooked. β. a1450 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (Bodl.) v. xlviii Oþer membres ben grounde..of þe vertue of gendring, as þe bollock stones þat hatte testiculi in latine.1744 School of Venus in D. Thomas (1969) 362 You..can now without blushing call prick, stones, bollocks, cunt, tarse and the like names.1846 ‘Lord Chief Baron’ (new ed.) 114/2 Bollox, male testicles.1874 II. 158 At the same time handling the noble bollocks.1948 I. Wolfert 514 Here's your bollix hanging down.1968 22 17 Fine specimen of a lad, my Monty. All bollocks and beef.1999 Nov. 52 After they had operated on my bollock, I remember lying in a ward in hospital.2002 S. Burke x. 104 I'll have your bollocks for earrings, you wait.the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > orchids ?a1425 (a1400) (Sloane) 184 Testiculus muris folia habet ualde parua, museballok. 1562 W. Turner ii. 128 b Whyt satyrion..or in other more vnmanerly speche, hares ballockes. 1562 W. Bullein Bk. Simples f. 21 v, in This Testiculus, or sauing your reuence Ballocke Flower, hath two stones, and named Orchis. 1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens ii. lix. 225 The floures..speckled with smal speckes of a deeper purple, like to Cuckow Orchis, or fooles ballockes. 1597 J. Gerard i. 169 Orchis spiralis..[is called] of some sweete Ballocks. 1601 R. Chester 94 There's Standergras, Hares ballockes, or great Orchis. society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > tackle or purchase > [noun] > system of) pulley(s) > through which ties of yards reeved 1799 II. 201 Poulies d'itague de driffe des huniers. Bollock blocks. 1831 T. O'Scanlan (at cited word) Bollock blocks. Montones de ostaga de las drizas de gavia. 1898 A. Ansted Bollocks, blocks secured to the middle of the topsail yards in large ships; the topsail ties pass through them, and thereby gain an increase of power in lifting the yards. 1955 C. W. T. Layton 52 Bollocks, Blocks in bunt of topsail yards of large ships. Topsail ties are rove through them to increase lifting power. 4. figurative. In plural. the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > person of weak intellect > confused, muddled person > [noun] 1916 J. Joyce v. 272 I'm a ballocks—he said, shaking his head in despair. 1922 J. Joyce ii. 280 Who's the old ballocks you were talking to? 1958 B. Behan i. 81 He..had come through Borstal institutions, mostly, I would say, by sucking up to bullying big bollixes the likes of James. 1971 ‘H. Leonard’ 14 Her and some bollix. 1999 in D. Bolger 46 He thought he was being clever, the gobshite—he asks, he asks, ‘Seeing as I'm so virtuous, would I consider myself a modest man?’ The fecking bollocks. 2003 (Nexis) 12 Mar. 22 I'll be carrying a walking stick, no hair, no teeth and someone will say: ‘There's that bollix who rowed with Roy Keane.’ the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > absence of meaning > nonsense, rubbish > [noun] the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > absurdity, incongruity > [noun] > instance of the world > action or operation > ability > inability > unskilfulness > [noun] > unskilful action or working > a bungle 1919 W. H. Downing 12 Bollocks (n. or adj.), absurd; an absurdity. 1936 ‘G. Orwell’ 3 Apr. (1968) I. 215 My novel..would have been out a month ago if it had not been for all that bollux about libel. 1939 J. Cary 193 For God's sake, don't talk ballocks, Johnson. 1950 G. Wilson (1951) ix. 159 Christ, what a bollocks. 1969 11–24 Apr. 15/3 It's really a load of bollocks. 1979 K. Amis 133 All that double-think..Is the ballocks it always was. 1993 G. F. Newman (rev. ed.) 531 It was ballocks, Pyle decided. It was grossly unfair. 2004 (Nexis) 25 Dec. a1 The system is a complete bollix, as far as I can tell. the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > highest class of excellence the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person or thing 1981 Sept. 30 (heading) The Absolute Bollocks. 1993 25 Dec. 20/3 Check the superb organ solos on Dr Magic, and the full-on disco madness of Blow Your Whistle if you still don't believe. Knock me down with a feather guv, this is the bollocks. 1995 July 124/4 It was me who had a penthouse suite overlooking the harbour and Opera House. It was the bollocks—it even said ‘Greetings Mr Beer’ on the telly. 2006 B. George & L. Hardy i. 4 I wasn't impressed at all by what I saw and told him so. ‘Malcolm, if this lot here are really the bollocks, then one day I could be the best player in the world.’ B. adj.the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > nakedness or state of being unclothed > [adjective] 1950 G. Wilson viii. 122 He's stark bollock. 2001 (Nexis) 23 Feb. 32 Back-stage, it's utterly freezing. It makes me laugh sometimes, when I'm standing there, stark-bollock. Phrasesthe mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > an error, mistake > blunder [verb (intransitive)] 1942 G. Lersh iii. 16 ‘He dropped you a ——’ and he names an essential appendage of the masculine anatomy..that never comes singly. To drop one of these, in the jargon of the Guardsmen, is to make a serious blunder. To drop one for someone else is to let him down.] 1948 E. Partridge et al. 62 Drop a bollock, clanger, goolie, to make a serious blunder. To drop a bollock for someone was to get him in trouble, let him down. 1970 P. Laurie ii. 45 You see why this is such a valuable form of instruction. They'll never drop a bollock like that again. You see them maturing overnight. 1990 A. Beevor xi. 119 Rival regiments..wait for him ‘to make a major Horlicks’. ‘If you drop a bollock..,’ said one who only just survived the experience, ‘you've had it.’ 2000 Oct. 92/2 Consternation showed clearly on their faces. Someone had dropped quite a bollock. 1981 P. Willis ii. 14 Bannister's there sweating, sweating his bollocks off all day while Spanksy's doing fuck all, and he's enjoying it. 1989 15 Mar. 21/4 I don't mind working my bollocks off. 1992 (BNC) 10 Oct. Jebb laughed his bollocks off. 1995 20 Oct. 5/2 They had him walking his bollocks off. Up and out by five, a trip to the pier before and after breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner—plus a midnight constitutional. 1998 E. Brimson xxxii. 94 Stanard was rushing his bollocks off on the violence. 2002 (Nexis) 13 May I saw this woman working her bollocks off—cleaning, tidying up, shopping—while all he did was order her around. Compounds the world > life > the body > secretory organs > gland > specific glands > [noun] > testicle or testicles > integument of c1450 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker (1884) I. 599/1 Omembrana, a balluc cod. a1500 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker (1884) I. 677 Piga, a balloke code. ?1541 R. Copland ii. sig. Hiv Fylthy mater..descendeth sooner in to ye ballocke coddes, whan a man is greued or broken than any other gutte. the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > orchids 1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens ii. lvi. 222 Some cal it also Orchis..Ballock grasse [Du. Cullekens cruyt]..and Bastard Satyrion. 1655 T. Moffett & C. Bennet xxiii. 216 Ballocks-grass, or Satyrium..is only nourishing in the full, heavy and sappy root. 1886 J. Britten & R. Holland 23 Ballock Grass..Orchis mascula. 2000 E. Hansen vi. 89 ‘Orchid ice cream,’ she said. ‘Made from what the Renaissance nurserymen called “bollock grass”.’ society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > sharp weapon > side arms > knife or dagger > [adjective] > of dagger: having specific handle 1437–8 in J. Raine (1855) II. 63 (MED) Unum dagar ballokhefted. 1459 (1904) III. 177 Item, j bollok haftyd dager harnesyd wyth sylver, and j chape thertoo. society > occupation and work > equipment > cutting tool > knife > [noun] > other knives c1400 (c1378) W. Langland (Laud 581) (1869) B. xv. 121 A ballokknyf with botones ouergylte. 2003 (Nexis) 23 Aug. 8 The bollock knife, renamed by prudish Victorians the ballock knife or kidney dagger. the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > nakedness or state of being unclothed > [adjective] 1922 J. Joyce iii. 581 See them there stark ballocknaked. 1975 K. Tynan 28 Aug. (2001) 264 Occasionally I would just tie her up, bollock-naked, stick a few things up her bum and cunt, and go out to the pictures. 1994 R. Davies 274 Whisked into the examination-room and ordered to strip, and not just to her undies, but ballock-naked. 2005 A. Masters xi. 98 They've bent me up, put me in the strip cell, stripped me clothes off me, left me stark bollock naked. ?a1425 (?1373) (1938) f. 76v (MED) Standilgose..havith knobbis in the rotis lyke ballok stonys. a1500 (a1460) (1994) I. xxiv. 314 I haue brysten both my balok-stones, So fast hyed I hedyr. 1540 J. Palsgrave tr. G. Gnapheus sig. Rijv Aco. Wylt thou gold .i. any pieces of golde? Lais. This chayne my lyttell prycke [L. mea mentula] .i. I wolde fayne haue this chayne (of golde) my pretye pryncockes, or my ballocke stones. the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > orchids ?a1300 MS Bodl. 130 in T. O. Cockayne (1866) III. 313 (MED) Herba priapisci, i. beallocwirt. ?a1500 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker (1884) I. 609/31 Saturia, ballokwort. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021). bollockv.Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: bollock n. Etymology: < bollock n. Compare earlier bollocking n. slang. 1787 G. Greive in tr. F. J. de Chastellux II. 192 (note) In their combats..they are admitted ‘to bite, b-ll-ck, and goudge’. 1833 11 9 Had they turned off the king's highway..they might have found..specimens of private battle, wherein the combatants lay down on the earth, side by side, to ‘kick, ballock, and bite’. 1957 G. Kersh xvi. 329 Step right up, gentlemen; bite, bollock, or gouge. the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > rebuke or reproof > rebuke or reprove [verb (transitive)] > severely 1901 31 Mar. 2/6 When gurls sez to the Kosher-man, Why do you run us in Instead of bollicking the bloak As [printed Ar] takes the Coin of Sin? 1942 A. Lewis xiii. 144 He'd gone round bollucking them [sc. his men] right and left. 1959 I. Jefferies v. 63 He had been bollocking a sick man. 1974 P. Wright xi. 95 I got ballocked left, right and centre. 1998 R. Ray 203 Not a nice smile, not a proper smile, but the kind of smile you can't get rid of when you watch your little brother getting bollocked. 2000 C. Firth in N. Hornby 62 I got quite a long and very boring telling off..for being late, and I told her why, so she bollocked me for that as well. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < n.adj.eOEv.1787 |