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humbug

 - 3 dictionary results

hum⋅bug

  [huhm-buhg] noun, verb, -bugged, -bug⋅ging, interjection
Use humbug in a Sentence
–noun
1. something intended to delude or deceive.
2. the quality of falseness or deception.
3. a person who is not what he or she claims or pretends to be; impostor.
4. something devoid of sense or meaning; nonsense: a humbug of technical jargon.
5. British. a variety of hard mint candy.
–verb (used with object)
6. to impose upon by humbug or false pretense; delude; deceive.
–verb (used without object)
7. to practice humbug.
–interjection
8. nonsense!
Origin:
1730–40; orig. uncert.

Related forms:
humbugger, noun

Synonyms:
1. imposition. 2. pretense, sham. 3. pretender, deceiver, charlatan, swindler, quack, confidence man. 6. cheat, swindle, trick, fool, dupe.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To humbug
hum·bug   (hŭm'bŭg')   
n.  

  1. Something intended to deceive; a hoax or fraud.

  2. A person who claims to be other than what he or she is; an impostor.

  3. Nonsense; rubbish.

  4. Pretense; deception.

interj.  Used to express disbelief or disgust.
v.   hum·bugged, hum·bug·ging, hum·bugs

v.   tr.
To deceive or trick.
v.   intr.
To practice deception or trickery.

[Origin unknown.]
hum'bug'ger n., hum'bug'ger·y n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

humbug 
1751, student slang, "trick, jest, hoax, deception," of unknown origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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