Definition of hokey-cokey in English:
hokey-cokey
noun həʊkɪˈkəʊkihoʊkiˈkoʊki
British A group dance performed in a circle with a synchronized shaking of the limbs in turn, accompanied by a simple song.
US term hokey-pokey
Example sentencesExamples
- The Eccleshill museum will wind back to the 1940s on Monday as it offers a chance to do the hokey-cokey to wartime music.
- Dwell on the red circle formed by the Arsenal players, which began with a show of unity and descended into an impromptu hokey-cokey.
- Their hosts also organised several school visits, where hardened cavers ended up doing the hokey-cokey with the children!
- And his game of political hokey-cokey between Holyrood and Westminster hasn't helped either.
- After half an hour of it, you were almost glad to be back in the company of sozzled aunties, joining in a spirited rendition of the hokey-cokey.
- After forcing us to sing a Neil Diamond medley, he tops the show by prodding the audience into doing the hokey-cokey while spraying us with champagne.
- Seeing our Japanese hosts do the hokey-cokey was a sight to behold.
Origin
1940s: perhaps from hocus-pocus.
Rhymes
chokey, croaky, folkie, folky, hokey, hoki, jokey, karaoke, Loki, okey-dokey, Okie, pokey, poky, smoky, trochee