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confidence man. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
confidence man, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
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English
Noun
confidence man (plural confidence men)
- Someone who conducts a confidence game: who defrauds someone after winning his trust.
1857, Herman Melville, The Confidence-Man:“True; but look, now, what my doubt is. I am one who thinks well of man. I love man. I have confidence in man. But what was told me not a half-hour since? I was told that I would find it written—‘Believe not his many words—an enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips’—and also I was told that I would find a good deal more to the same effect, and all in this book. I could not think it; and, coming here to look for myself, what do I read? Not only just what was quoted, but also, as was engaged, more to the same purpose, such as this: ‘With much communication he will tempt thee; he will smile upon thee, and speak thee fair, and say What wantest thou? If thou be for his profit he will use thee; he will make thee bear, and will not be sorry for it. Observe and take good heed. When thou hearest these things, awake in thy sleep.’”
“Who’s that describing the confidence-man?” here came from the berth again.
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