I. ˈsham noun
Etymology: perhaps from English dialect sham shame, alteration of English shame
Date: 1677
1. : a trick that deludes : hoax
feared that the deal was a sham
2. : cheap falseness : hypocrisy
saw through the hollowness, the sham , the silliness of the empty pageant — Oscar Wilde
3. : an ornamental covering for a pillow
4. : an imitation or counterfeit purporting to be genuine
5. : a person who shams
Synonyms: see imposture
II. adjective
Date: 1681
1. : not genuine : false , feigned
2. : having such poor quality as to seem false
III. verb
( shammed ; sham·ming )
Date: 1739
transitive verb
: to go through the external motions necessary to counterfeit
intransitive verb
: to act intentionally so as to give a false impression : feign
Synonyms: see assume
• sham·mer ˈsha-mər noun