Hotchpotch

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Hotchpot \Hotch"pot`\, Hotchpotch \Hotch"potch`\, n. [F.
     hochepot, fr. hocher to shake + pot pot; both of Dutch or
     German origin; cf. OD. hutspot hotchpotch, D. hotsen, hutsen,
     to shake. See {Hustle}, and {Pot}, and cf. {Hodgepodge}.]
     1. A mingled mass; a confused mixture; a stew of various
        ingredients; a hodgepodge.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              A mixture or hotchpotch of many tastes. --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Law) A blending of property for equality of division, as
        when lands given in frank-marriage to one daughter were,
        after the death of the ancestor, blended with the lands
        descending to her and to her sisters from the same
        ancestor, and then divided in equal portions among all the
        daughters. In modern usage, a mixing together, or throwing
        into a common mass or stock, of the estate left by a
        person deceased and the amounts advanced to any particular
        child or children, for the purpose of a more equal
        division, or of equalizing the shares of all the children;
        the property advanced being accounted for at its value
        when given. --Bouvier. Tomlins.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: This term has been applied in cases of salvage. Story.
           It corresponds in a measure with collation in the civil
           and Scotch law. See {Collation}. --Bouvier. Tomlins.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hotchpotch
       n 1: a motley assortment of things [syn: {odds and ends}, {oddments},
             {melange}, {farrago}, {ragbag}, {hodgepodge}, {mishmash},
             {mingle-mangle}, {omnium-gatherum}]
       2: a stew (or thick soup) made with meat and vegetables

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  21 Moby Thesaurus words for "hotchpotch":
     agglomeration, conglomeration, farrago, gallimaufry, hash,
     hodgepodge, jumble, medley, melange, mess, miscellany, mishmash,
     mixed bag, mixture, olio, olla podrida, omnium gatherum, patchwork,
     potpourri, tangle, welter