Meaning
A confidence game or swindle.
Etymology
Origin: Dutch
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 & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle: