hornswoggle
hornswoggled; hornswoggling; hornswoggles
Looking for a colorful Americanism to describe how you've just been deceived out of all your money? Say you've been hornswoggled!
American English has a rich array of verbs to refer to swindling someone, like bamboozle, hoodwink, and humbug. Hornswoggle is one that's particularly fun to say. According to one story, the word comes from the way that a lassoed cow would move its head back and forth to try to break free. But most dictionaries simply say its origin is unknown, so let's just thank the anonymous 19th-century American wit who came up with this ridiculous word.
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(offensive) deprive of by deceit
Vocabulary lists containing hornswoggle
In 1900, Seth and his family struggle to survive a massive storm.
Heidi travels across the country to learn about her family history.
You'd be a fool not to learn these words related to pranks, jokes, and deceit. For more on the history of these words, read The Cunning, Risible Holiday of April Fool's Day.
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