Humbug
['hʌmbʌg] or ['hʌmbʌɡ]
Definition
(noun.) communication (written or spoken) intended to deceive.
(verb.) trick or deceive.
Edited by Eva--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) An imposition under fair pretenses; something contrived in order to deceive and mislead; a trick by cajolery; a hoax.
(n.) A spirit of deception; cajolery; trickishness.
(n.) One who deceives or misleads; a deceitful or trickish fellow; an impostor.
(v. t.) To deceive; to impose; to cajole; to hoax.
Edited by Laurence
Synonyms and Synonymous
n. [Colloquial.] [1]. Imposition, imposture, fetch, deception, fraud, trick, cheat, gammon, dodge, gouge, blind, feint, chouse.[2]. Charlatanry, charlatanism, quackery, mummery, cant, hypocrisy.[3]. Impostor, charlatan, quack.
v. a. [Colloquial.] Deceive, cheat, cozen, swindle, trick, hoax, befool, diddle, chouse, impose upon.
Editor: Theresa
Definition
n. an imposition under fair pretences: hollowness pretence: one who so imposes: a kind of candy.—v.t. to deceive: to hoax:—pr.p. hum′bugging; pa.p. hum′bugged.—adj. Humbug′able capable of being humbugged.—ns. Hum′bugger one who humbugs; Hum′buggery the practice of humbugging.
Editor: Oswald
Examples
- A good housewife is of necessity a humbug; and Cornelia's husband was hoodwinked, as Potiphar was--only in a different way. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- Fortified by such encouragement, he could venture to say Humbug; and now Bar's mind was relieved. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- Platonically--theoretically--all humbug! Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- I ain't going to have any of this dam sentimental nonsense and humbug here, sir, the father cried out. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- The tons of sentiment I have wasted on that unprincipled humbug in my ignorance! Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- But come, now--as between man and man--without humbug--a little capital might enable me to make a first-rate thing of the shop. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- He would have it, the medical profession was an inevitable system of humbug. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- Said the infant negroes were little humbugs,' repeated Mrs. Weller. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- That's one of your red republican humbugs, Augustine! Harriet Beecher Stowe. Uncle Tom's Cabin.
- Little humbugs,' replied Mr. Stiggins, deeply affected. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- What a refreshing set of humbugs we are, to be sure, ain't we, my sweet child? Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- Well; all sorts of humbugs profess morality. Charles Dickens. Hard Times.
Checker: Zachariah