skin-game

A con artist runs a skin-game at the carnival.

Definition

1. Noun (Slang):
   • A dishonest scheme or swindle: "skin-game" refers to a fraudulent operation or trick designed to cheat someone out of money or property, often involving deception or confidence tricks.

Usage Examples

• (He was cheated out of his money in a fraudulent scheme.)
• (The fraud operation was stopped by authorities.)

Advanced Usage

• "to run a skin-game": to operate or carry out a swindle.
  • The con artist was known for running a skin-game on unsuspecting tourists. (He conducted a fraudulent scheme against visitors.)

Variants and Related Words

• Skin (n, slang): a person's identity or self, often used in phrases like "save one's own skin" (to protect oneself).
• Skinflint (n): a miserly person; not directly related, but shares the "skin" root.
• Game (n): a scheme or activity; in this context, "game" refers to a deceptive plan.

Synonyms

• Swindle: a fraudulent scheme.
• Scam: a dishonest plan to cheat people.
• Con: a confidence trick or fraud.
• Racket: an illegal or dishonest business.

Related Idioms

• Skin game (as a fixed phrase): identical to "skin-game"; no separate idiomatic variations exist beyond the term itself.
• Play a shell game: a classic swindle where a person is tricked into betting on the location of a hidden object, similar in concept to a skin-game.

Phrasal Verbs (None directly related)

• "Skin-game" is a noun, not a verb, so no phrasal verbs apply. However, the verb to skin (slang) can mean to cheat or fleece someone:
  • They skinned him out of his inheritance. (They cheated him of his inheritance.)