shell game

noun

: thimblerig played especially with three walnut shells

: fraud

especially : a swindle involving the substitution of something of little or no value for a valuable item

Did you know?

The shell game, a swindling trick in which a small ball or pea is quickly shifted from under one to another of three walnut shells or cups to fool the spectator guessing its location, is a version of one of the oldest and most widespread forms of sleight of hand. Conjurers have performed this trick, which is also called the cups and balls trick and thimblerig, throughout the world for centuries. The version that became popular in the United States in the late 19th century used walnut shells and peas. Shell game thus became the popular term for the trick, and the trick itself became so well known that the term is now used figuratively to describe dishonest actions that are done to deceive people.

Example Sentences

it's amazing how intelligent people fall for that investment-fund shell game

Recent Examples on the Web Others posited that the Russians were performing an exercise, as the Kremlin itself insisted, or playing a shell game designed to conceal a purpose short of invasion.

Liz Sly, Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2022 Even if Bergeron and Krejci are aboard, Montgomery will have his own shell game to manage with Marchand and McAvoy on the mend.

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 21 July 2022 Since then Florida has waged a human vs. snail shell game.

Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 2 July 2022 The academic research emphatically shows that this elaborate shell game can be a supremely costly job-creation strategy.

Margaret O'mara, Wired, 13 Jan. 2022 Considering the substantial financial help that Tesla has long received from government support for its electric cars, the company doesn't have to use a shell game of offshoring its profits to avoid paying taxes.

Chris Isidore, CNN, 10 Feb. 2022 The young athletes who have spent lifetimes dreaming of this moment are pawns in a huge financial shell game.

Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Feb. 2022 Blockchain is either the most radical invention of the century or a worthless shell game.

Gideon Lichfield, Wired, 3 Jan. 2022 Without any penalties for failure for first-pass tender acceptance, carriers and shippers have played a shell game on price.

Lora Cecere, Forbes, 15 Nov. 2021 See More

单词	shell game
释义	shell game noun 1 : thimblerig played especially with three walnut shells 2 : fraud especially : a swindle involving the substitution of something of little or no value for a valuable item Did you know? The shell game, a swindling trick in which a small ball or pea is quickly shifted from under one to another of three walnut shells or cups to fool the spectator guessing its location, is a version of one of the oldest and most widespread forms of sleight of hand. Conjurers have performed this trick, which is also called the cups and balls trick and thimblerig, throughout the world for centuries. The version that became popular in the United States in the late 19th century used walnut shells and peas. Shell game thus became the popular term for the trick, and the trick itself became so well known that the term is now used figuratively to describe dishonest actions that are done to deceive people. Synonyms bunco bunko con fiddle [chiefly British] flimflam fraud hustle scam sting swindle See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences it's amazing how intelligent people fall for that investment-fund shell game Recent Examples on the Web Others posited that the Russians were performing an exercise, as the Kremlin itself insisted, or playing a shell game designed to conceal a purpose short of invasion. Liz Sly, Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2022 Even if Bergeron and Krejci are aboard, Montgomery will have his own shell game to manage with Marchand and McAvoy on the mend. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 21 July 2022 Since then Florida has waged a human vs. snail shell game. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 2 July 2022 The academic research emphatically shows that this elaborate shell game can be a supremely costly job-creation strategy. Margaret O'mara, Wired, 13 Jan. 2022 Considering the substantial financial help that Tesla has long received from government support for its electric cars, the company doesn't have to use a shell game of offshoring its profits to avoid paying taxes. Chris Isidore, CNN, 10 Feb. 2022 The young athletes who have spent lifetimes dreaming of this moment are pawns in a huge financial shell game. Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Feb. 2022 Blockchain is either the most radical invention of the century or a worthless shell game. Gideon Lichfield, Wired, 3 Jan. 2022 Without any penalties for failure for first-pass tender acceptance, carriers and shippers have played a shell game on price. Lora Cecere, Forbes, 15 Nov. 2021 See More Word History First Known Use 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1 shell game noun as in scam an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value it's amazing how intelligent people fall for that investment-fund shell game Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance scam fraud con swindle pyramid scheme scheme sting device hoax fiddle bunco hustle bunko trick cross flimflam Ponzi scheme thimblerig fix racket dodge three-card monte counterfeit jig soaking stratagem gouging wile fake overcharging ploy forgery rip-off sham gimmick phony sleight phoney humbug
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shell game

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun