flimflam

[ flim-flam ]

noun

1. a trick or deception, especially a swindle or confidence game involving skillful persuasion or clever manipulation of the victim.
2. a piece of nonsense; twaddle; bosh.

verb (used with object)

, flim·flammed, flim·flam·ming.

1. to trick, deceive, swindle, or cheat:

   A fortuneteller flimflammed her out of her savings.

flimflam

/ ˈflɪmˌflæm /

noun

1. 1. nonsense; foolishness
   2. ( as modifier )

      flimflam arguments

2. a deception; swindle

verb

1. tr to deceive; trick; swindle; cheat

Derived Forms

• ˈflimˌflammer, noun

Other Words From

• flimflammer noun
• flimflammer·y noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of flimflam¹

First recorded in 1530–40; gradational compound of expressive origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of flimflam¹

C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse flīm mockery, Norwegian flire to giggle

Example Sentences

America was largely founded on greed, exemplified by land-grabs, gold rushes and real estate flimflams, not to mention the institution of slavery.

From Salon

He's almost certainly lying about that, of course, but this rhetorical flimflam is still quite revealing.

From Salon

When the then-president tried to flimflam him with misleading statistics at one point, Swan replied with precision, detail and follow-up.

From Los Angeles Times

“They were dying off,” Whitehead writes, “the old crooks and hustlers and flimflam artists, or upstate after an ill-advised scheme to cover medical bills or six months’ back pay or new teeth.”

From Los Angeles Times

But in characteristic fashion, she’s refused to acknowledge defeat, filing a lawsuit — since thrown out of court — and widely peddling false claims about voter fraud and other conspiratorial flimflam.

From Los Angeles Times