grift
To obtain illegally, as by con gameTo obtain illegally, as by con game.
» Royalty is one of the world's biggest grifts.
Meaning
3 senses(US, slang, transitive)To obtain illegally, as by con game.
erschwindeln
(US, intransitive, slang)To obtain money illegally.
(US, intransitive, slang)To obtain money immorally or through deceitful means.
Examples
3 sentencesRoyalty is one of the world's biggest grifts.
Charter schools are a grift.
It's a grift.
Translations
3 languagesOrigin
American criminal underworld slang, 1906 (noun), 1915 (verb), alteration of graft (“corrupAmerican 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”).
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Forms
grifts, grifting, grifted, griftedLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle