definitions

flimflam

[ flim-flam ]
/ ˈflɪmˌflæm /
Informal.
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR flimflam ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a trick or deception, especially a swindle or confidence game involving skillful persuasion or clever manipulation of the victim.
a piece of nonsense; twaddle; bosh.

verb (used with object), flim·flammed, flim·flam·ming.

to trick, deceive, swindle, or cheat: A fortuneteller flimflammed her out of her savings.

RELATED WORDS

fool, shaft, fleece, hose, scam, dupe, cheat, rook, burn, gull, trick, gyp, chisel, steal, con, sandbag, bilk, defraud, diddle, gip

Nearby words

flight-test, flightless, flightworthy, flighty, flim, flimflam, flimsy, flinch, flinders, flinders bar, flinders grass

Origin of flimflam

First recorded in 1530–40; gradational compound of expressive orig.

Related forms

flim·flam·mer, nounflim·flam·mer·y, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for flimflam

  • I tried my darndest to flimflam the information out of him, but it was no use.

    The Gray Phantom's Return|Herman Landon

  • He saw that modern financial ingenuity has found a way to flimflam the devil himself.

    Yellowstone Nights|Herbert Quick

  • As long as there is plenty of flimflam to distract the viewer.

    Toy Shop|Henry Maxwell Dempsey

  • A flimflam offer by a theologian of inchoate title to improved real estate in the Sky for real estate, rentals and cash on Earth.

    The Roycroft Dictionary|Elbert Hubbard

British Dictionary definitions for flimflam

flimflam

/ (ˈflɪmˌflæm) informal /

noun

  1. nonsense; foolishness
  2. (as modifier)flimflam arguments
a deception; swindle

verb -flams, -flamming or -flammed

(tr) to deceive; trick; swindle; cheat

Derived Forms

flimflammer, noun

Word Origin for flimflam

C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse flīm mockery, Norwegian flire to giggle
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012