Origin: 1775–85; back formation from
swindler <
German Schwindler irresponsible person, promoter of wildcat schemes, cheat, derivative of
schwindeln to be dizzy (hence dizzy-minded, irresponsible), defraud, equivalent to
schwind- (akin to
Old English swindan to languish) + -(
e)
l- -le +
-er -er1 Related formsswin·dle·a·ble, adjective
swin·dler, noun
swin·dling·ly, adverb
out·swin·dle, verb (used with object), -dled, -dling.
Synonyms
1. cozen, dupe, trick, gull.