shell game

noun

1. a sleight-of-hand swindling game resembling thimblerig but employing walnut shells or the like instead of thimblelike cups.

2. any deceit, swindle, fraud, or the like.

shell game

noun

1. the US name for thimblerig

Word History and Origins

Origin of shell game¹

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90