The Spanish verb 'bochar' (meaning 'to reject' or 'to knock out') has an interesting etymology that traces back to Italian. It comes from the Italian word 'boccia', which originally meant 'flower bud'. In Spanish, this was adapted as 'bocha' meaning 'wooden ball', and then combined with the verbal suffix '-ar' to create the verb 'bochar'. The semantic evolution from a flower bud to rejection likely came through the game of bocce/bocha, where balls are knocked out or rejected from scoring position - similar to how a flower bud is a rounded shape.

A simpler related Spanish word is 'bocha', which refers to a wooden ball used in the game of bocha (similar to bocce ball). This game, where players try to knock opponents' balls away from the target, helps explain how 'bochar' came to mean 'to reject' or 'knock out'.

While not directly from the same root, English speakers might be familiar with the game 'bocce' or 'bocce ball', which comes from the same Italian word 'boccia'. This connection can help remember that 'bochar' has to do with the action of knocking something away, just like in the game of bocce.