/ kɒn; NAmE kɑːn/ noun , verb
■ noun ( informal )
1.
[ sing. ] (also BrE formal ˈconfidence trick ) (also NAmE formal ˈconfidence game ) a trick; an act of cheating sb :
The so-called bargain was just a big con!
( BrE )
a con trick
( NAmE )
a con game
He's a real con artist (= a person who regularly cheats others) .
—see also con man , mod cons
2.
[ C ] = convict
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IDIOMS
see pro noun
■ verb
( -nn- ) [ vn ] con sb (into doing sth / out of sth) ( informal ) to trick sb, especially in order to get money from them or persuade them to do sth for you :
I was conned into buying a useless car.
They had been conned out of £100 000.
He conned his way into the job using false references.
➡ note at cheat
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WORD ORIGIN
noun sense 1 and verb late 19th cent. (originally US): abbreviation of confidence , as in confidence trick .
noun sense 2 late 19th cent.: abbreviation.