What does "horlicks" mean?
A hot bedtime drink made with malted milk.
Horlicks
/ˈhɔːlɪks/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A hot bedtime drink made with malted milk.
- Grammar: horlicks is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: bollocks.
- Usage evidence: To err is human, but to make a complete horlicks of something requires a computer.
How to use "horlicks"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
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Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A hot bedtime drink made with malted milk. British, countable, uncountable
"When the theatres turned out, people flocked back for their Horlickses and cocoas. Because of the summer visitors, we were open till one o'clock in the morning."
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of Horlicks. alt-of, countable, uncountable
"McDonald & Dodds is back, with episode one so deliberately hammy and meta that, technically, it should have been a complete horlicks. In one scene, when they were all hanging on to the balloon ropes, Mr Bean-like, to stop Jason Watkins flying away, it sort of was."
- 3 Bollocks, a mess or balls-up. UK, countable, euphemistic, slang, uncountable
"McDonald & Dodds is back, with episode one so deliberately hammy and meta that, technically, it should have been a complete horlicks. In one scene, when they were all hanging on to the balloon ropes, Mr Bean-like, to stop Jason Watkins flying away, it sort of was."
- 4 Bollocks, nonsense, false statements. UK, countable, euphemistic, slang, uncountable
"As sleep patterns come unstuck and more and more people complain of not getting enough shuteye, so businesses have spotted an opportunity. […] And beware any consumer product which claims it will transform your slumber: it’s probably a load of Horlicks."
Verb
- 1 To make a mess of (something); to bollocks. UK, euphemistic, slang
"I have seen a priest massacred in charge of a Mass, experienced schoolmasters carbonated in charge of a class and felt hairdressers Horlicksed in charge of hair clippers. / On a more lasting level, it is possible for surprisingly long periods of time to be drunk in charge of a relationship."
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of Horlicks. alt-of
"Not the groundsman's fault Australia horlicksed it all up in the space of a couple of hours on Friday."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
"“But how can this be, for Mr. Horlicks suffered from such a painful back condition that he could hardly walk?” she informed Hodgekiss. “Not anymore!” said Hodgekiss with a twinkle in his eye."
- 2 plural of Horlick form-of, plural
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"To err is human, but to make a complete horlicks of something requires a computer."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "horlicks"?
Common synonyms include: bollocks.
How do you use "horlicks" in a sentence?
To err is human, but to make a complete horlicks of something requires a computer.
How do you pronounce "horlicks"?
Pronounced /ˈhɔːlɪks/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
The name of the drink, first sold as "Horlick's Infant and Invalids Food", is derived from the surname of its developers, James (1844–1921) and William Horlick (1846–1936); equivalent to Horlick + -'s (possessive marker). The term later became a euphemism for bollocks (“mess; to make a mess of”).
Etymology 2
Variant of Horlick.