Meaning to make a prediction or claim in a very public manner, only for the exact opposite toe come to pass. Usually in a very embarrassing way. Can be used as a verb, adjective or noun.
It is derived from Pro-Putin retired
American Lt Col Douglas MacGregor, who has repeatedly made ridiculous claims about Russian success and imminent victory in the war in
Ukraine. On dozens of occasions, he has made predictions only for events to transpire in a way as to effectively be the exact opposite of his prediction.
For example; On the 29th of August
2022, he said
Ukraine's
army had been destroyed, and they would never mount a counter offensive, and that only delusional
people believed that there would be a Ukrainian counter attack. And that Russia was preparing to strike out from Kherson and capture Odessa in the South, and send an armored column to capture Kharkiv city. Within days,
Ukraine launched the biggest offensive by either side of the whole war, expelling the Russians from Kharkiv oblast, capturing over 200 Russian tanks in perfect working order, and then moved south to retake Kherson. Russia never moved towards Odessa or Kharkiv in the days, weeks or months following that statement.
Verb; Last
night I was with a girl, but I totally Macgregored thinking
blow would help me keep it up. It was limp as can be.
Adjective; I was really hoping your quarterly returns would be much better. But after looking over them, I see you really did a Macgregor job.
Noun; You can pretty much guarantee anything that
dodgy used car salesman tells you will be a Macgregor.