long con

[ lawng kon, long ]

noun

, Slang.

1. an elaborate confidence game that develops in several stages over an extended period of time wherein the con man or swindler gains the victim’s trust, often bypassing small profits with the goal of reaping a much larger payout in the final maneuver:

   The key to pulling off a long con is giving your marks the illusion of control while you and your team manipulate their choices.

Word History and Origins

Origin of long con¹

long ¹( def ) + con ²( def )

Example Sentences

The cracks in the literacy long con begin to show, and by the time middle school rolls around, those cracks have become craters your kids will gladly lob grenades made of logic and algebra into.

From Washington Post

Is this a one-off or is Brown working the fake podiatrist long-con?

From The Daily Beast

Mist-y fogs, so long con-ceal-ing All the hills of min-gled night, 3.

From Project Gutenberg

I have been con-centrating all night long—con-centrating on Hippy to call him back to us.

From Project Gutenberg