CON


Meaning of CON in English

~ 1

informal

■ verb ( ~s , ~ning , ~ned ) deceive (someone) into doing or believing something by lying to them.

■ noun a deception of this kind.

Origin

C19 (orig. US): abbrev. of ~fidence , as in ~fidence trick .

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~ 2

■ noun (usu. in phr. pros and ~s ) a disadvantage of or argument against something.

Origin

C16: from L. ~tra 'against'.

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~ 3

■ noun informal a ~vict.

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~ 4

( US also ~n ) Nautical

■ verb ( ~s , ~ning , ~ned ) direct the steering of (a ship).

■ noun ( the ~ ) the action or post of ~ning a ship.

Origin

C17: appar. a weakened form of obs. ~d '~duct, guide', from OFr. ~duire .

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~ 5

■ verb ( ~s , ~ning , ~ned ) archaic study attentively or learn by heart (a piece of writing).

Origin

ME cunne , ~ne , ~ , vars of can 1 .

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.