English Explanatory Dictionary

grift

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A confidence game or swindle.
verb
  1. To obtain illegally, as by con game.
  2. To obtain money illegally.
  3. To obtain money immorally or through deceitful means.

Pronunciation

/ɡɹɪft/ En-au-grift.ogg

Word forms

grift grifts grifting grifted

Etymology

American criminal underworld slang, 1906 (noun), 1915 (verb), alteration of graft (“corruption, illicit profit through corrupt means, bribe, one's occupation”), alteration perhaps influenced by similar sounding words, e.g. drift, etc., probably ultimately from Middle Dutch graft (“digging, ditch, canal, trench”) (modern Dutch gracht), related to Dutch graven (“to dig”), English grave (“to dig”).

Synonyms

deception deceit dupery fiddle fetch hocus-pocus jugglery legerdemain list mislead prestidigitation Punic faith rinky-dink ruse sleight of hand subterfuge swack trickery

Derived words

griftable grifter shopgrift
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