shell game

shell game

noun

Definition of SHELL GAME

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

Examples of SHELL GAME

1. <it's amazing how intelligent people fall for that investment-fund shell game>

First Known Use of SHELL GAME

1890

Related to SHELL GAME

Synonyms: bunco (or bunko), con, fiddle [chiefly British], flimflam, gyp, hustle, scam, fraud, sting, swindle

Related Words: cross, fix; Ponzi scheme, pyramid scheme; racket, rip-off; thimblerig, three-card monte; device, dodge, gimmick, jig, ploy, scheme, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile; gouging, overcharging, soaking; counterfeit, fake, forgery, hoax, humbug, phony (also phoney), sham

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Rhymes with SHELL GAME

A-frame, acclaim, aflame, airframe, ball game, big game, big-name, board game, brand name, byname, code name, cross-claim, declaim, defame, disclaim, endgame, enframe, exclaim, first name, forename, freeze-frame, head game, inflame, last name, mainframe, mind game, misname, nickname, no-name, pen name, place-name, prename, proclaim, quitclaim, reclaim, selfsame, skin game, space frame, surname, time frame, trade name, war game