fulham
Definition
- Noun (Historical, chiefly British):
- A type of loaded dice, specifically one weighted with lead on one side, used for cheating in gambling games. The term originates from Fulham, a district in London historically associated with the manufacture of such fraudulent gaming implements.
Usage Examples
- (A fraudulent dice weighted to produce desired outcomes.)
- (Old loaded dice, now considered curiosities.)
Advanced Usage
- "to have a fulham up one's sleeve": to possess a secret advantage or deceitful trick.
- He always seemed to win at backgammon — I suspect he had a fulham up his sleeve. (He used a hidden, dishonest method to succeed.)
Variants and Related Words
- Fulham (adj): relating to or characteristic of such loaded dice.
- The fulham dice were easily identified by their uneven weight distribution. (Describing the dice as being of the fraudulent type.)
- Fulham (n, obsolete): a cheat or swindler, especially one using loaded dice.
- The tavern was known to be a haunt of fulhams and other rogues. (Cheats who used fraudulent dice.)
Synonyms
- Loaded dice: dice that are weighted to favour certain outcomes.
- Gaffed dice: dice altered for cheating (modern slang).
- Crooked dice: dice that are unfair.
Phrasal Verbs
- (None directly associated with "fulham" as it is a noun.)
Related Idioms
- To throw a fulham: to cheat by using loaded dice.
- He was accused of throwing a fulham when his lucky streak seemed unnatural. (Using a fraudulent dice to win.)
- Fulham trick: any deceitful scheme in gambling.
- The old fulham trick of weighting dice is still found in some back-alley games. (The specific cheating method.)
Historical Note
The term "fulham" is now largely archaic, surviving primarily in historical texts about gambling and crime in 17th-19th century England. It reflects the association of the Fulham area with dice-making, though most modern users would not recognize the word outside specialized contexts.