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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

grift en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Australia) audio
  • /ɡɹɪft/

Etymology

American criminal underworld slang, 1906 (noun), 1915 (verb), alteration of graft (“corruption, illicit profit through corrupt means, bribe, one's occupation”), alteration perhaps influenced by similar sounding words, e.g. drift, etc., probably ultimately from Middle Dutch graft (“digging, ditch, canal, trench”) (modern Dutch gracht), related to Dutch graven (“to dig”), English grave (“to dig”).

Meanings

  1. (US, slang) A confidence game or swindle.
    • ‘Sounds like he’s trying to stretch out his grift for as long as possible,’ Gentle said. ‘Taking as much from his followers as he can before it falls apart.’ 2022, Paul McAuley, Beyond the Burn Line, Gollancz, page 172:
    • Hey, what's the grift? What are you trying to pull?

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
grifts Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

griftable · shopgrift · grifter

Synonyms

subterfuge · prestidigitation · fiddle · ruse · trickery · sleight of hand · mislead · hype · dupery · imposition · swack · Punic faith · deceit · deception · jugglery · rinky-dink · fetch · list · hocus-pocus · legerdemain

grift en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (Australia) audio
  • /ɡɹɪft/

Etymology

American criminal underworld slang, 1906 (noun), 1915 (verb), alteration of graft (“corruption, illicit profit through corrupt means, bribe, one's occupation”), alteration perhaps influenced by similar sounding words, e.g. drift, etc., probably ultimately from Middle Dutch graft (“digging, ditch, canal, trench”) (modern Dutch gracht), related to Dutch graven (“to dig”), English grave (“to dig”).

Meanings

  1. (US, slang, transitive) To obtain illegally, as by con game.
  2. (US, intransitive, slang) To obtain money illegally.
  3. (US, intransitive, slang) To obtain money immorally or through deceitful means.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
grifting Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
grifted Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
grifted Tense=Past lexicographic
grifts Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Translations (9)

es engaño (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game) · es estafa (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game) · pl wyłudzić (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game) · es timo (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game) · da svindle (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game) · es fraude (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game) · hu kicsal (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game) · de erschwindeln (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game) · pl wyłudzać (to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game)