1 C1 idiomatic slang
(British vulgar slang) To ruin or completely mismanage something.
"Trust him to bollocks up the simplest task — he's booked us on the wrong flight."
separable
bollocks up
C1 slang separable transitive
To ruin or spoil something through stupidity or carelessness.
In plain English
To completely mess something up — a rude British way of saying you ruined it.
What does "bollocks up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
British vulgar slang. The related noun 'a bollocks-up' (or 'balls-up') is also common. Not appropriate in formal settings. Often used with strong emotion or exasperation. The noun form ('what a balls-up!') is arguably more frequent.
Words that pair with "bollocks up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
deal plan interview opportunity project everything
How to conjugate "bollocks up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bollocks up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bollockses up
he/she/it
Past simple
bollocksed up
yesterday
Past participle
bollocksed up
have + pp
-ing form
bollocksing up
continuous
Hear "bollocks up" in the wild
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