sell a bill of goods

Idioms and Phrases

Deceive, swindle, take unfair advantage of, as in He was just selling you a bill of goods when he said he worked as a secret agent , or Watch out if anyone says he wants to trade bikes with you; he's apt to be selling you a bill of goods . The bill of goods here means “a dishonest offer.” [c. 1920]

Example Sentences

PENCE: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “tells us that, actually, as difficult as they are, there are no more hurricanes today than there were 100 years ago, but many of the climate alarmists use hurricanes and wildfires to try and sell a bill of goods.”

From Washington Times

PENCE: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “tells us that, actually, as difficult as they are, there are no more hurricanes today than there were 100 years ago, but many of the climate alarmists use hurricanes and wildfires to try and sell a bill of goods.”

From Seattle Times

PENCE: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “tells us that, actually, as difficult as they are, there are no more hurricanes today than there were 100 years ago, but many of the climate alarmists use hurricanes and wildfires to try and sell a bill of goods.”

From Washington Times

The Orioles are trying to sell a bill of goods to dispirited fans about a baseball revival underway with new general manager Mike Elias, fresh off the turnaround team that rebuilt the Houston Astros.

From Washington Times

“It's not an emergency what's happening at the border – it's a humanitarian challenge to us. The president has tried to sell a bill of goods to the American people,” she said, instead suggesting that Trump to "declare a national emergency around gun violence" on the anniversary of the Parkland mass shooting.

From Salon

Related Words

• bilk
• con
• deceive
• defraud
• dupe
• extort
• fleece
• gouge
• hoodwink
• overcharge
• victimize