flam

¹

[ flam ]

noun

1. a deception or trick.
2. a falsehood; lie.

verb (used with or without object)

, flammed, flam·ming.

1. to deceive; delude; cheat.

flam

²

[ flam ]

noun

1. a drumbeat consisting of two notes in quick succession, with the accent on the second.

flam

¹

/ flæm /

noun

1. a drumbeat in which both sticks strike the head almost simultaneously but are heard to do so separately

flam

²

/ flæm /

noun

1. a falsehood, deception, or sham
2. nonsense; drivel

verb

1. tr to cheat or deceive

Word History and Origins

Origin of flam¹

First recorded in 1615–25; short for flimflam ( def )

Origin of flam²

First recorded in 1790–1800; imitative

Word History and Origins

Origin of flam¹

C18: probably imitative of the sound

Origin of flam²

C16: probably short for flimflam

Example Sentences

If any of this flim-flam is true, the lumbersexual already sounds way more annoying than the metrosexual.

From The Daily Beast

And me trying to flim-flam myself into thinking that I've got to keep still because I promised Tom.

From Project Gutenberg

Flam women, men, and children, and a great many common soldiers.

From Project Gutenberg

The third, that lay Massy above, seem'd porphyry, that flam'd Red as the life-blood spouting from a vein.

From Project Gutenberg

What's the use of buying tinsel and flim-flam when you're eating milk gravy to save butter and using salt sacks for handkerchiefs?

From Project Gutenberg

Uninflammable, un-in-flam′a-bl, adj. incapable of being set on fire.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• complicity
• conspiracy
• deceit
• scam