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Synonyms

fast one

American  

noun

Informal.

  1. a shrewd action, especially when unscrupulous or dishonest; an unfair trick, deceitful practice, dishonest dealing, etc..

    He pulled a fast one on me by paying me with a worthless check.

Etymology

Origin of fast one

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Some companies are trying to pull a fast one by shrinking the products little by little and hoping you won't notice,” he said.

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2024

That’s because most Olympic finals are more tactical than fast, one reason why Cheptegei’s world record is nearly a minute better than the Olympic record.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2024

Earlier this year, while Musk captured the world’s attention in the aftermath of his contentious Twitter takeover, Tesla Motors quietly pulled a fast one.

From Slate • Sep. 27, 2023

Alonso's actions in Hungary came in response to Hamilton pulling a fast one on the Spaniard.

From BBC • Aug. 2, 2023

Principal Principal pauses with a look on his face like Daffy Duck’s when Bugs is pulling a fast one.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.