grift

Meaning

Noun

A confidence game or swindle.

Verb

1. (slang) To obtain illegally, as by con game.
2. (slang) To obtain money illegally.
3. (slang) To obtain money immorally or through deceitful means.

Synonyms

graft

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɡɹɪft/

Etymology

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”).