cock up
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To ruin (something) unintentionally; to fuck up, mess up, or screw up.
Register: slang, vulgar
Examples
It was cocking her up with gimcrack notions about ladies till she'd be ashamed to look at her own hands after she had done a day's work with them.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “cock up” mean?
To ruin (something) unintentionally; to fuck up, mess up, or screw up.
Is “cock up” formal or informal?
cock up is generally slang, vulgar.