con
Adverb:
- In opposition to a proposition, opinion, etc.: Used to indicate a position or argument against something.
Noun:
- A swindle; a confidence trick: A dishonest scheme in which someone cheats another, often by gaining their trust first.
- A convict: A person who has been found guilty of a crime and is serving a sentence in prison.
- An argument or reason against something: A point or position opposing a proposal or idea.
Verb:
- To commit to memory; to learn by heart: To study and remember something exactly.
- To swindle or defraud: To cheat or trick someone, especially to obtain money or property dishonestly.
Adverb:
- We debated the issue pro and con. (We argued for and against the issue.)
- She listed all the reasons con before making her decision. (She listed all the reasons against it before making her decision.)
Noun (Swindle):
- He lost his savings in a clever con. (He lost his savings in a clever swindle.)
- The so-called "investment opportunity" was just a con. (The so-called "investment opportunity" was just a fraud.)
Noun (Convict):
- The ex-con was trying to rebuild his life. (The former convict was trying to rebuild his life.)
Noun (Argument against):
- The main con of the plan is its high cost. (The main argument against the plan is its high cost.)
Verb (Memorize):
- I need to con these formulas before the test. (I need to memorize these formulas before the test.)
- She conned her lines perfectly for the audition. (She memorized her lines perfectly for the audition.)
Verb (Swindle):
- They conned the elderly couple out of their life savings. (They swindled the elderly couple out of their life savings.)
- He was conned into buying a fake watch. (He was tricked into buying a fake watch.)
"To con someone into doing something": To persuade someone to do something by deception.
- She conned him into giving her his password. (She tricked him into giving her his password.)
"To con someone out of something": To cheat someone out of their money or possessions.
- The scam artist conned dozens of people out of their retirement funds. (The scam artist cheated dozens of people out of their retirement funds.)
Con artist (n): A person who cheats or tricks others by gaining their confidence. Also called a con man or con woman.
- The con artist was very charming and persuasive.
Con game / Con job (n): Another term for a swindle or confidence trick.
- The whole deal was a sophisticated con game.
Pro and con (n phrase): The arguments for and against something.
- We weighed all the pros and cons carefully.
- Adverb/Noun (Argument): Against, opposed to.
- Noun (Swindle): Scam, fraud, hoax, trick, racket.
- Noun (Convict): Prisoner, inmate, felon.
- Verb (Memorize): Memorize, learn, study.
- Verb (Swindle): Swindle, defraud, cheat, trick, dupe, scam.
Con into: To deceive someone into doing something.
- He was conned into signing the contract.
Con out of: To deceive someone in order to take something from them.
- They conned the tourists out of hundreds of dollars.
A con artist: Someone who makes a living by deceiving people.
- Be careful; he's a real con artist.
The oldest con in the book: A very common and well-known trick or swindle.
- Selling fake designer bags is the oldest con in the book.
- in opposition to a proposition, opinion, etc.
- much was written pro and con
- a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property
- a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
- an argument opposed to a proposal
- commit to memory; learn by heart
- Have you memorized your lines for the play yet?
- deprive of by deceit
- He swindled me out of my inheritance
- She defrauded the customers who trusted her
- the cashier gypped me when he gave me too little change