I. noun
or bun·ko ˈbəŋ(ˌ) kō
( -s )
Etymology: perhaps alteration of Spanish banca bench, banking business, bank in gambling (or, a card game), from Italian, bank, bench — more at bank IV
1. : swindling by misrepresentation (as in a confidence game)
2. : any of various games (as card games) in which the person who proposes the game expects to win by virtue of an opponent's ignorance, lack of skill, or naiveté
II. transitive verb
or bunko “
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to swindle by a bunco game or scheme : cheat or victimize in any similar way
knew when he was being buncoed but there was not much he could do — H.A.Sinclair