I. ˈkän transitive verb
( conned ; conned ; conning ; cons )
Etymology: Middle English connen, alteration (influenced by con, 1st & 3d singular present indicative, from Old English, variant of can ) of cunnen — more at can
1. obsolete : to have knowledge of : know
2.
a. : to study in order to know : regard or examine closely : peruse
she had a complete set of “Standard Recitations” which she conned on Sundays — Willa Cather
b. : to commit to memory by vocal or mental repetition
the orator had conned it by heart — S.H.Adams
c. : to reflect upon : ponder
the wise soldier will con himself, note his difference from the man he was — Christopher La Farge
•
- con thanks
II.
variant of conn
III. adverb
Etymology: Middle English, short for contra (I)
: on the negative side : in opposition — opposed to pro
much was written pro and con
IV. noun
( -s )
1. : the arguments or evidence in opposition to a statement, proposition, or position
2. : the negative position or one holding it : opposition — opposed to pro
an appraisal of the pros and cons
V. adjective
: taking the opposing side : oppositional , negative — opposed to pro
pro and con arguments
VI. preposition
: in opposition to : on the negative side of : against — opposed to pro
forces pro and con the issue
VII. noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably from French cogner to beat, from Old French, from Latin cuneus wedge — more at coin
now dialect England : a rap with the knuckles
VIII. adjective
Etymology: by shortening
: confidence II
IX. transitive verb
( conned ; conned ; conning ; cons )
1. : to swindle especially by the confidence game : deceive , cheat
she conned a victim out of his savings
2. : to persuade or lure (a person) to the advantage of the persuader : trick , fool
he conned her into buying an inferior product
3. : cajole , blarney , soft-soap
a mealymouthed football coach conning a boy with a broken knee into playing — A.J.Liebling
X. noun
( -s )
: fraudulent appropriation of money
knew too much about con to fall for that one — Herbert Gold
XI. noun
( -s )
Etymology: by shortening
slang : convict
XII. noun
( -s )
Etymology: by shortening
slang : conductor 2c
XIII. noun
( -s )
Etymology: short for consumption
slang : a destructive disease of the lungs:
a. : tuberculosis
b. : silicosis with superimposed tuberculous infection
XIV. abbreviation
1. concerto
2. conclusion
3. conic
4. connecting; connection
5. consol; consolidated
6.
[Latin conjux ]
consort
7. consul
8. continued
9. contra
XV. noun
Etymology: con (X)
: something (as a ruse) used deceptively to gain another's trust or belief