fast one

noun

, Informal.

1. a shrewd action, especially when unscrupulous or dishonest; an unfair trick, deceitful practice, dishonest dealing, etc.:

   He pulled a fast one on me by paying me with a worthless check.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fast one¹

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Example Sentences

The idea that Nikola was pulling a fast one wouldn’t count as outright fraud, Anderson knew, because the video didn’t explicitly claim the truck was self-propelled.

From Fortune

Related Words

• atrocity
• breach
• case
• corruption
• evil
• felony
• infraction
• lawlessness
• misconduct
• misdeed
• misdemeanor
• scandal
• transgression
• violation
• wrongdoing