[pho.ny] or pho.ney adj pho.ni.er ; -est [perh. alter. of fawney gilded brass ring used in the fawney rig, a confidence game, fr. Ir fainne ring, fr. OIr anne--more at anus] (1900): not genuine or real: as a (1): intended to deceive or mislead (2): intended to defraud: conterfeit "a ~ $10 bill" "a ~ check" b: arousing suspicion: probably dishonest "something ~ about the story" c: having no genuine existence: fictitious "~ publicity stories" d: false, sham "a ~ name" "~ pearls" e: making a false show: as (1): hypocritical (2): specious "has a ~ poetic elegance --New Republic" -- pho.ni.ly adv -- pho.ni.ness n
[2]phony or phoney n, pl pho.nies (1902): one that is phony [3]phony or phoney vt pho.nied or pho.neyed ; pho.ny.ing or pho.ney.ing (ca. 1942): counterfeit, fake--often used with up "a paper phonied up on the spur of the moment --William Faulkner"