scam

See also: skam

English

Etymology

US carnival slang of uncertain origin. Possibly from scamp (swindler, cheater) or Irish cam (crooked). Also possibly from Danish skam; if so, it would be a doublet of shame and sham.

The word "scam" became common use among the US "drug culture" in early 1980 after Operation ABSCAM, an FBI sting operation directed at public officials, became public.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: skăm, IPA(key): /skæm/
    • (file)
  • Rhymes: -æm

Noun

scam (plural scams)

  1. A fraudulent deal.
    That marketing scheme looks like a scam to me.
  2. Something that is promoted using scams.
    That new diet burger is a scam.

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Verb

scam (third-person singular simple present scams, present participle scamming, simple past and past participle scammed)

  1. (transitive) To defraud or embezzle.
    They tried to scam her out of her savings.

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Middle Irish

Etymology

Attested only in the plural form scaim. From Proto-Celtic *skamos. Cognate with Welsh ysgafn ("light") and Welsh ysgyfaint ("(pair of) lungs"), Breton skañv, Cornish skav.

Noun

scam

  1. lung

References

  • Matasović, R. (2009). Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, p.339. Brill: Boston.
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