/sham/ , n., adj., v., shammed, shamming .
n.
1. something that is not what it purports to be; a spurious imitation; fraud or hoax.
2. a person who shams; shammer.
3. a cover or the like for giving a thing a different outward appearance: a pillow sham.
adj.
4. pretended; counterfeit; feigned: sham attacks; a sham Gothic façade.
5. designed, made, or used as a sham.
v.t.
6. to produce an imitation of.
7. to assume the appearance of; pretend to have: to sham illness.
v.i.
8. to make a false show of something; pretend.
[ 1670-80; orig. uncert. ]
Syn. 1. pretense. 4. spurious, make-believe, simulated, mock. See false. 6. imitate. 7. feign, fake.
Ant. 4. genuine.