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grift. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
grift, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
grift in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
grift you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
American criminal underworld slang, 1906 (noun), 1915 (verb), alteration of graft (“corruption, illicit profit through corrupt means, bribe, ones 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”).
Pronunciation
Noun
grift (plural grifts)
- (US, slang) A confidence game or swindle.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:deception
Hey, what's the grift? What are you trying to pull?
2022, Paul McAuley, Beyond the Burn Line, Gollancz, page 172:‘Sounds like he’s trying to stretch out his grift for as long as possible,’ Gentle said. ‘Taking as much from his followers as he can before it falls apart.’
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
grift (third-person singular simple present grifts, present participle grifting, simple past and past participle grifted)
- (transitive, US, slang) To obtain illegally, as by con game.
- (intransitive, US, slang) To obtain money illegally.
- (intransitive, US, slang) To obtain money immorally or through deceitful means.
Translations
to obtain (money) illegally, as by con game
References
Swedish
Noun
grift c
- (archaic except in some compounds) a grave
- Synonym: grav
Declension
Derived terms
References