foozle

1 of 2

noun

foo·​zle ˈfü-zəl 

: an act of foozling

especially : a bungling golf stroke

foozle

2 of 2

verb

foozled; foozling

ˈfüz-liŋ,

ˈfü-zə-liŋ 

ˈfüz-liŋ

transitive verb

: to manage or play awkwardly : bungle

Did you know?

What Foozle Means to Golfers

Foozle dates only to the late 19th century, but its origins are obscure. The German dialect verb fuseln ("to work carelessly") could figure in its history, but that speculation has never been proven. Not particularly common today, foozle still holds a special place in the hearts, minds, and vocabularies of many golfers. In golf, to foozle a shot is to bungle it and a foozle is a bungled shot. In a Century magazine piece from 1899 called "Two Players and their Play," Beatrice Hanscom reveals more of golf's specialized vocabulary:

She tops her ball; then divots fly; / In bunkers long she stays; / She foozles all along the course / In most astounding ways: / In sooth, it is an eery thing / The way Priscilla plays.

Synonyms

Verb

• blow
• bobble
• boggle
• bollix (up)
• boot
• botch
• bugger (up)
• bumble
• bungle
• butcher
• dub
• flub
• fluff
• foul up
• fumble
• goof (up)
• louse up
• mangle
• mess (up)
• muck up
• muff
• murder
• screw up

Examples of foozle in a Sentence

Verb

foozled the attempt to move the couch into the apartment and tore the fabric on the arms

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps from German dialect fuseln to work carelessly

First Known Use

Noun

1890, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1888, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

foozle

verb

foo·​zle

ˈfü-zəl

foozled; foozling

ˈfüz-(ə-)liŋ

: bungle

foozle noun