wazzock

[prettygoodword]

wazzock (WAZ-uhk) - n., (UK & Ireland) n., an stupid and annoying person.


Origin is listed as unknown, but the first citations in audio and in print are from folk singer and author Mike Harding, dating to the 1970s. Speculations as to its origin include alteration of wiseacre = wise-guy influenced by pillock = stupid and annoying person (originally penis, and put a pin in that linguistic drift), and wozz = piss + diminutive suffix -ock. Harding himself has not confirmed any such origin.

---L.

Comments

[phantasmalpoison]

Interesting, I had no sense it was so recent a term, but it was apparently part of the OED's second Wordhunt in 2007 (trying to find the origins and/or earliest written records of words), and looking at all the other entries was equally surprising. Lots of relatively recently coined words, potentially. https://web.archive.org/web/20081226155245/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/wordhunt/fulllist.shtml

[prettygoodword]

Oh, that's a sweet link. Thanks!