Etymology Journal ยท S
Screwed the pooch
Meaning
- A slightly crude way of saying that someone made a major, embarrassing mistake. It implies you failed due to poor judgment or incompetence.
Crude, blunt
Used in a sentence
- He really screwed the pooch on that presentation by forgetting the slides.
- I think the accountant screwed the pooch when he filed the returns late.
- We had one job to do and we still managed to screw the pooch.
The backstory
The phrase is widely considered to be an adaptation of older, earthier military slang that emerged in the mid-20th century. It is colorful, slightly vulgar, and generally used in informal settings.
Heard in
Nationwide
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