screw the pooch

phrase

US slang
: to botch an activity or undertaking : screw up
He's a little cocky, but he's not about to screw the pooch.Douglas M. Bailey
Such is life. Sometimes you score big, and sometimes you screw the pooch.Greg Jerrett

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Cite this Entry

“Screw the pooch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screw%20the%20pooch. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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