bill of goods

[ bil uhv goodz ]

noun

1. a quantity or consignment of saleable items, as an order, shipment, etc.
2. Informal. a misrepresented, fraudulent, or defective article.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bill of goods¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. sell someone a bill of goods, Informal. to defraud or deceive someone:

   He sold me a bill of goods about that used car.

Example Sentences

Trump also benefits from a general bill of goods Americans were sold long ago: the entirely false idea that Republicans do a better job with the economy.

From Salon

“I think our diets, nationally, and international probably, show the fact that we just have allowed ourselves to be sold a bill of goods.”

From New York Times

Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said it was a "defining moment for unionism" and warned if the post-Brexit rules remained the same then "a false bill of goods was sold to the unionist people".

From BBC

Steinberg suggests I was sold a bill of goods.

From Los Angeles Times

“At the same time, I have sympathy for some of these students because I think they were sold a bill of goods.”

From New York Times