Well-read · Old & rare words · Arguing & persuading
Hornswoggle: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Hornswoggle verb. To cheat or trick someone.
How to say it
HORN-swog-ul/ˈhɔːnswɒɡ(ə)l/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (HORN). Forms: hornswoggled.
Hornswoggle in a sentence
The salesman hornswoggled them into buying a lifetime warranty for a toaster.
Don't let that charming smile hornswoggle you.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- swindle
- con
- dupe
- bamboozle
Where hornswoggle comes from
American slang from the early 1800s, of unknown origin.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Don't let that charming smile _____ you.
- mollycoddle
- dilly-dally
- hornswoggle
Show the answer
hornswoggle: Don't let that charming smile hornswoggle you.