Definition

Verb (transitive) 1. To sell or pass off something as genuine or of higher quality than it actually is, with the intention to deceive. - This is the core meaning, involving a deliberate act of deception in a transaction. 2. To dismiss or put someone off with an excuse or a less valuable alternative. - A more general, figurative use meaning to appease or get rid of someone insincerely.

Usage and Examples

• The dishonest merchant tried to fob off the counterfeit watch as a luxury brand.
• Don't let them fob you off with a cheap imitation; insist on the original product.
• When I complained, the manager just fobbed me off with a promise to call back later.
• He fobbed off his responsibilities onto his junior colleague.

Advanced Usage and Patterns

• Common Structure: The verb is often used with the pattern "fob someone off with something" or "fob something off on someone."
  • They fobbed us off with a vague explanation.
  • He tried to fob his old car off on an unsuspecting buyer.
• The phrasal verb is separable. The object (e.g., , ) can often be placed between "fob" and "off."

Variants and Related Words

• Fob (noun): A small pocket for a watch or a decorative item attached to a keychain. (Note: This is a completely different, unrelated noun).
• Palm off: A very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "fob off" in the context of deceiving someone in a sale.

Synonyms

• Palm off
• Pass off
• Foist (upon)
• Dismiss (with)

Related Phrasal Verbs/Idioms

• Brush off: To dismiss or ignore someone or something casually.
  • She brushed off my concerns. (This lacks the specific element of substituting with an inferior item or false promise present in "fob off.")
• Put off: To postpone or delay.
  • They kept putting off the meeting. (This is about delay, not deceptive dismissal.)

Verb

1. sell as genuine, sell with the intention to deceive