SWINDLE

I. verb (~d; swindling) Etymology: back-formation from ~r, from German Schwindler giddy person, from schwindeln to be dizzy, from Old High German swintilōn, frequentative of swintan to diminish, vanish; akin to Old English swindan to vanish Date: circa 1782 intransitive verb to obtain money or property by fraud or deceit, transitive verb to take money or property from by fraud or deceit, see: cheat ~r noun II. noun Date: 1821 an act or instance of swindling ; fraud