Hocus-pocus
‘Hocus Pocus’ is another magic word that is often used by magicians. Unlike ‘Abracadabra’, the origin of this magic phrase lies in the more recent past, around the early 17th century, to be more precise. Like ‘Abracadabra’ and ‘Alakazam’, there are several theories trying to explain the origin of this phrase.
One, for instance, is offered by John Tillotson, the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1694. Tillotson suggests that this is a corruption of ‘hoc est corpus meum’ (this is my body), and is a parody of the consecration during the Catholic Mass .
Another suggestion is that the words just sounded exotic and this pair of words was coined simply because they rhymed. It may be a nonsense word made up solely to impress people during a magic trick.
Other Reduplicated phrases
What’s the meaning of the phrase ‘Hocus-pocus’?
‘Hocus pocus’ is a supposed magical charm previously uttered by magicians. More recently it has been used as a general term for trickery or magic.
What’s the origin of the phrase ‘Hocus-pocus’?
From the early 17th century onwards ‘hocus pocus’ (now more often spelled as a single hyphenated word) has been used as an incantation by conjurers when performing tricks. Hocus-pocus is now treated like abracadabra, shazam and ‘izzy-wizzy, let’s get busy’ that is, as stage patter, used mostly by comedy magicians. When it was first coined though magicians could reasonably have expected that such exotic-sounding phrases would fool some of the audience into the believing that mysterious forces were being conjured up. In fact, now and then, these ‘charms’ provide that essential element required for all conjuring tricks – distraction.
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Hocus-pocus
Hocus-pocus is a reference to the actions of magicians, often as the stereotypical magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change. It was once a common term for a magician, juggler, or other similar entertainers. In extended usage, the term is often used (pejoratively) to describe irrational human activities that appear to depend on magic. Examples are given below.[1]
Examples of the extended use of the term hocus-pocus
Those relating to divination or other activity by one practitioner working in isolation: Haruspication (divination by inspection of entrails), and necromancy.
Those relating to a magical connection between two or more people: Subconscious direction, cross-dreaming, extrasensory perception, split subjectivity, telepathy, clairvoyance, channelling, psychic transcription, ‘faculty X’, ‘mind energy’.[1]
History
The earliest known English-language work on magic, or what was then known as legerdemain (sleight of hand), was published anonymously in 1635 under the title Hocus Pocus Junior: The Anatomie of Legerdemain.[2] Further research suggests that “Hocus Pocus” was the stage name of a well known magician of the era. This may be William Vincent, who is recorded as having been granted a license to perform magic in England in 1619.[3] Whether he was the author of the book is unknown.
Conjectured origins
The origins of the term remain obscure. The most popular conjecture is that it is a garbled Latin religious phrase or some form of ‘dog’ Latin. Some have associated it with similar-sounding fictional, mythical, or legendary names. Others suggest it is merely a combination of nonsense words.
Latin and pseudo-Latin origins
One theory is that the term is a corruption of hax pax max Deus adimax, a pseudo-Latin phrase used in the early 17th century as a magical formula by conjurors.[4]
Another theory is that it is a corruption or parody of the Catholic liturgy of the Eucharist, which contains the phrase “Hoc est enim corpus meum“, meaning This is my body.[5] This explanation goes at least as far back as a 1694 speculation by the Anglican prelate John Tillotson:
In all probability those common juggling words of hocus pocus are nothing else but a corruption of hoc est corpus, by way of ridiculous imitation of the priests of the Church of Rome in their trick of Transubstantiation.[6][7]
This theory is supported by the fact that in the Netherlands, the words Hocus pocus are usually accompanied by the additional words pilatus pas, and this is said to be based on a post-Reformation parody of the traditional Catholic rite of transubstantiation during Mass, being a Dutch corruption of the Latin words “Hoc est corpus meum” and the credo, which reads in part, “sub Pontio Pilato passus et sepultus est“, meaning under Pontius Pilate he suffered and was buried.[8] In a similar way the phrase is in Scandinavia usually accompanied by filiokus, a corruption of the term filioque,[citation needed] from the Latin version of the Nicene Creed, meaning “and from the Son”. The variant spelling filipokus is common in Russia, a predominantly Eastern Orthodox nation, as well as certain other post-Soviet states.[citation needed] Additionally, the word for “stage trick” in Russian, fokus, is derived from hocus pocus.[9]
Magician’s name
Others believe that it is an appeal to the folkloric Norse magician Ochus Bochus:
It is possible that we here see the origin of hocus pocus, and Old Nick.
According to Sharon Turner in The History of the Anglo-Saxons, they were believed to be derived from Ochus Bochus, a magician and demon of the north.[10]
Nonsense word
As an alternative to other theories, it may simply be pseudo-Latin with no meaning, made up to impress people:
I will speak of one man… that went about in King James his time … who called himself, “The Kings Majesties most excellent Hocus Pocus“, and so was he called, because that at the playing of every Trick, he used to say, “Hocus pocus, tontus talontus, vade celeriter jubeo“, a dark composure of words, to blinde the eyes of the beholders, to make his Trick pass the more currently without discovery, because when the eye and the ear of the beholder are both earnestly busied, the Trick is not so easily discovered, nor the Imposture discerned.— Thomas Ady, A Candle in the Dark, 1656[11]
hocus-pocus
31 January 2021
The Sanderson Sisters | Disney Wiki | Fandom
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Come Little Children[Chorus] [Verse 1] |
[Verse 2]
Hush now dear children, it must be this way Too weary of life and deceptions Rest now my children For soon we’ll away Into the calm and the quiet Oooh-oooh (Oooh-oooh) Oooh-oooh (Oooh-oooh) Oooh-oooh (Aaah-aaah) Oooh-oooh (Aaah-aaah) [Chorus]
Come little children I’ll take thee away Into a land of enchantment Come little children The time’s come to play Here in my garden of shadows Oooh-oooh (Oooh-oooh) Oooh-oooh (La-la-la-la) |
The song was performed by Sarah Sanderson’s actress, Sarah Jessica Parker.
I will speak of one man … that went about in King James his time … who called himself, the Kings Majesties most excellent Hocus Pocus, and so was called, because that at the playing of every Trick, he used to say, Hocus pocus, tontus tabantus, vade celeriter jubeo, a dark composure of words, to blinde the eyes of the beholders, to make his Trick pass the more currantly without discovery. [Thomas Ady, “A Candle in the Dark,” 1655]
Compare hiccus doccius or hiccus doctius, “formula used by jugglers in performing their feats” (1670s), also a common name for a juggler, which OED says is “conjectured to be a corruption of” Latin hicce es doctus “here is the learned man,” “if not merely a nonsense formula simulating Latin.” Also compare holus-bolus (adv.) “all at a gulp, all at once,” which Century Dictionary calls “A varied redupl. of whole, in sham-Latin form.” As a noun meaning “juggler’s tricks,” hocus-pocus is recorded from 1640s.
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Nov 23, 2021
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This “song” from 1973 is a perfect lesson in how powerfully music can affect the spirit realm without any words being uttered. Hocus Pocus is at work, whether you can see it or not.
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Hocus Pocus: A Tale of Magnificent Magicians – June 1, 2008
Magic tricks to amaze your friends and stupefy your family from the magic consultant on the Harry Potter movies, with an introduction by Daniel Radcliffe.
From the magic consultant on the HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN movie comes a book of astounding (and astoundingly easy!) magic tricks. Author Paul Kieve takes would-be wizards through a parade of the world’s top magicians – Harry Houdini, the Great Lafayette – and unveils how easy it is to perform their most spell-binding magic tricks. An introduction by Daniel Radcliffe makes this the fall must-have for all budding magicians and Harry Potter fans.
As Daniel Radcliffe says, “Step into the pages of HOCUS POCUS and prepare to be astonished!”
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HOCUS POCUS or HO-CUS PO-CUS
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Ho Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster
Numerology
Cus
Cus – cause an effect
Cus is just a shortened version of the word BECAUSE.
Cus to feel (sense by touch; experience an emotion or other mental state about)
Urban Dictionary: Cus
-cus Latin Etymology
From Proto-Italic *-kos, from Proto-Indo-European *-kos, *-ḱos. Cognate with Ancient Greek -κός (-kós), Proto-Germanic *-gaz, Sanskrit -शस (-śasa) and Old Church Slavonic -ъкъ (-ŭkŭ).
PIE *-ko- on noun stems carried the meaning ‘characteristic of, like, typical, pertaining to’, and on adjectival stems it acted emphatically.
Numerology value of Cus
Chaldean Numerology is: 3
Pythagorean Numerology is: 7
Numerology
Chaldean : 6
Pythagorean : 4
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Numerology value of Cus
Chaldean: 3
Pythagorean 7
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MY CONCLUSION:
Ho | Cus | Po | Cus |
Pay Attention | because | you’re about to drink a magic potion | to cause you to feel, experience |
Pythagoras 7
Chaldean 6
|
Chaldean: 3 Pythagorean 7 |
Chaldean : 6 Pythagorean : 4 |
Chaldean: 3 Pythagorean 7 |