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Bamboozle

//bæmˈbuː.zl̩// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun

1
A cheat, hoax, or imposition. informal, obsolete

Verb

1
To con, defraud, trick, to make a fool of, to humbug or impose on someone. informal, transitive
"“Look here, friend,” said I, “if you have anything important to tell us, out with it; but if you are only trying to bamboozle us, you are mistaken in your game; that’s all I have to say.”"
2
conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end wordnet
3
To confuse, frustrate or perplex. informal, transitive
"He's completely bamboozled by the changes in the computer system."

Etymology

Etymology 1

Derivative of 17th-century vernacular bam (“to trick, to con”), which is a derivative of bam in noun use (fraudster, cheat). Possibly from French embobiner.

Etymology 2

Derivative of 17th-century vernacular bam (“to trick, to con”), which is a derivative of bam in noun use (fraudster, cheat). Possibly from French embobiner.

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