What it means
An insult that lands more like a chirp than a punch. A hoser is a bit of a dope or scruffy loser, the mate who never quite has it together. Bob and Doug McKenzie made it legendary, and hockey lore says it came from the guy stuck hosing down the rink after everyone else. Mean, but oddly affectionate.
Usage examples
"Quit acting like a hoser, bud, you tracked slush all over the mudroom again. Take off your boots, hang your toque, and grab a beer."
"Don't be a hoser, eh, you left the garage door open all night and the raccoons got into the recycling again."
"He's a bit of a hoser, lovely guy, but he showed up to the cabin with no boots and one mitten."
"Nice one, hoser, you locked your keys in the truck and now we're all freezing in the driveway."
"He's such a hoser, showed up for pond hockey in jeans and thought that was somehow a plan."
Got something to say?
Edit, fix or tell us something. We review it and, if it is true, you will see it applied with your name on it.
Where it comes from
The word got cemented in Canadian slang by Bob and Doug McKenzie on SCTV in the early 1980s. It likely taps into older hockey lore too, where the losing side supposedly had to hose down the rink after the game. So calling someone a hoser paints them as a loser, a dummy, or a lovable scrub.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Your vote counts
Is this real street talk or have we lost the plot? Cast your vote.
