To “make a hames of it” is an expression common in Ireland that means to make a mess of something.
Ah, The cake is a disaster, I made a hames of it.
If you want to use this expression, It is better to only use it in Ireland and use it as a set expression “make a hames of it”. You can replace “it” with whatever you are talking about but it is more common to use the expression with “it”.
You can also stress(and lengthen) the word “hames” for emphasis.
“To make a mess of it” means the same thing but we often use “make a hames of it” when something is often very foolish and some eejit is involved.
Hames Origin
The expression is from middle Dutch but for some reason only exists in Ireland in the present day.
Conor is the main writer here at One Minute English and was an English teacher for 10 years. He is interested in helping people with their English skills and learning about using A.I tools at work.
Latest posts by Conor (see all)
- “How Was Your Weekend?” Alternative Ways to Improve Your Conversations - February 19, 2024
- On Monday or Monday? What’s the Difference? - December 1, 2023
- 20 Alternative Ways to say “Thanks for the Heads Up”(+ Meaning) - November 30, 2023
