[syn: fraud, fraudulence, dupery, hoax, humbug, put-on]
VERB (1)
1. trick or deceive;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Humbug \Hum"bug`\, n. [Prob. fr. hum to impose on, deceive + bug
a frightful object.]
1. An imposition under fair pretenses; something contrived in
order to deceive and mislead; a trick by cajolery; a hoax.
[1913 Webster]
2. A spirit of deception; cajolery; trickishness.
[1913 Webster]
3. One who deceives or misleads; a deceitful or trickish
fellow; an impostor. --Sir J. Stephen.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Humbug \Hum"bug`\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Humbugged; p. pr. & vb.
n. Humbugging.]
To deceive; to impose; to cajole; to hoax.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
humbug
n 1: pretentious or silly talk or writing [syn: baloney,
boloney, bilgewater, bosh, drool, humbug,
taradiddle, tarradiddle, tommyrot, tosh, twaddle]
2: communication (written or spoken) intended to deceive [syn:
humbug, snake oil]
3: something intended to deceive; deliberate trickery intended
to gain an advantage [syn: fraud, fraudulence, dupery,
hoax, humbug, put-on]
v 1: trick or deceive