to botch up
2
6.7
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
estropear
- If you don't follow the instructions carefully, you could easily botch up the project.
- botch things up
Examples
-
He was worried he might botch up the repairs and make the problem worse.
-
However, sometimes even the most conscientious of businessmen can botch up a deal for one reason or another.
-
So I started in, but I really botched it up.
-
You know, you really botched things up.
-
We make a simplified image of nature and then we botch it up.
Fiction book (1990) -
We can't have losers like you botching up the works.
-
I'm not pulling out, but if you botch things up, you'll ruin everything.
-
I've botched up everything, haven't I?
-
Of course, the flip side of that is that if Moray doesn't go through with this or botches up the marriage, he's in serious trouble.
Blog text (18) -
I always get nervous before a presentation, and I fear I will botch up my speech.
Synonyms
641
6.3
To make a mistake that ruins what you are doing
597
2.8
To make a mistake that causes a problem
203
9.9
To make a serious mistake that ruins something
80
2.8
To make something less good or enjoyable
63
6.0
To do something badly and spoil the result
37
9.9
To do something badly and ruin how it turns out
20
4.9
Deal with something badly so it causes problems or damage
19
3.5
To do something clumsily and make a mistake
18
5.4
To move in a clumsy, confused way
17
5.6
To make a silly or careless mistake
16
6.8
To do something clumsily so it causes mistakes
8
6.4
To make a mistake that ruins something because you are careless
5
8.2
To fail to catch or handle something because you are clumsy
5
7.6
To ruin something by making mistakes or doing it badly
4
8.1
To make a mess of a plan or task by doing it badly
2
5.4
To make a mistake especially by forgetting words on stage
2
6.8
To make an embarrassing mistake because you are careless or nervous
1
7.9
To do something badly and ruin how it turns out
1
9.3
Do something very badly and spoil how it turns out
1
9.9
To do something so badly that it fails
1
9.9
To ruin something by making a mistake or being careless
1
7.4
To make a small mistake when trying to do something, for example in sport or speech
To do something badly so it goes wrong
To do something badly and make it fail
Do a job badly so it does not work
To spoil or ruin something by making a careless mistake
To ruin something by doing it badly
To ruin something by a careless mistake
To ruin something completely by making serious mistakes
Antonyms
How Bad
∞
2.0
- Informal
597
2.8
- Informal
2
6.7
16
6.8
- Informal
27
4.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
botch + up
The verb 'botch' already means to spoil or mishandle, and the particle 'up' contributes a completive/intensifying sense, so the combined meaning 'to do something badly or completely ruin a task' is directly derivable from the constituents. This verb + up composition is a common, predictable pattern in English (and paralleled cross-linguistically), so a B1 learner who knows both parts would likely understand the MWE.
Etymology
Botch up comes from the image of a bad repair: botch meant a quick, messy patch and up makes the action complete. Imagine sewing a rough patch that leaves the cloth worse than before; that's why botch up means 'to do something badly' or to ruin a task.