bill of goods

American  

[bil uhv goodz] / ˈbɪl əv ˈgʊdz /

noun

1. a quantity or consignment of saleable items, as an order, shipment, etc.

2. Informal. a misrepresented, fraudulent, or defective article.

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idioms

1. sell someone a bill of goods, to defraud or deceive someone.

   He sold me a bill of goods about that used car.

Etymology

Origin of bill of goods

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bill of goods

If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ll stop to consider how many times you’ve been sold a bill of goods by a TikTok or an Instagram Reel.

From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2024

Steinberg suggests I was sold a bill of goods.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2023

SafeSport is a flimsy bill of goods the U.S.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 3, 2022

“You already feel like you were sold a bill of goods, like, ‘I did all the right things and now this.’

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 29, 2021

But I wasn't buying the bill of goods Shohreh Saedi was selling.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi