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banjax. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
banjax, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
banjax in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
Unknown, perhaps originally Dublin slang. According to Green’s Dictionary of Slang, may be a euphemism for bollocks.
Pronunciation
Verb
banjax (third-person singular simple present banjaxes, present participle banjaxing, simple past and past participle banjaxed)
- (UK, originally Ireland, slang) To ruin or destroy.
1922, Darrell Figgis, The House of Success, The Gael Co-operative Publishing Society, Ltd., page 146:I hoofed his backside till he went down all of a heap. That banjaxed his little game. You should have heard his hullabulloo.
1928, Eimar O'Duffy, The Spacious Adventures of the Man in the Street, Macmillan, page 370:Indeed, it seemed that the army was hopelessly banjaxed.
1970, Edna O'Brien, A Pagan Place, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, published 2001, page 91:Emma had suggested that you hide, said your presence might banjax her position.
2006, Craig Ferguson, Between the Bridge and the River, Chronicle Books, page 252:Fraser was looking at the flat, wet countryside and thinking about the French policeman who had banjaxed him with the truncheon.
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:banjax.
Translations
Noun
banjax (plural banjaxes)
- (chiefly Ireland, informal) A mess or undesirable situation made as a result of incompetence.
1922, Seán O'Casey, Juno and the Paycock:I'm tellin' you the scholar, Bentham, made a banjax o' th' Will.
References