A phrase that is used as a recitation that is supposed to present a magic act or spell: James Jones often used the words hocus-pocus when he was entertaining people with his slight-of-hand or so-called magical presentations at the night club.

1. Words without meaning or a phrase used to draw attention away from and to disguise what is really happening: Lucinda accused her psychologist of using a lot of hocus-pocus to make her think that she was playing games with herself.
2. A trick performed by a magician or juggler; a sleight of hand: The abracadabra and hocus-pocus words are used to draw the attention of viewers to what the performer is about to present.
3. A term used especially to promise something with deception or dishonest methods that are used to trick people: The politician misled voters with his political hocus-pocus of promising lower taxes and higher wages for workers.
4. Etymology: there is no real proof that hocus-pocus is a blasphemous corruption of the first words of the consecration in the Catholic Mass, Hoc est corpus, "This is the body"; but there are those who believe that the term is simply what the Oxford Dictionary calls a "sham (fraud) Latin" phrase invented by a magician to distract the audience while working his legerdemain or sleight of hand and to show his skill or deceitful cleverness.

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