swindle — to cheat someone out of money or property by deception
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to cheat someone out of money or property by deception
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈswɪndl/
Example Sentences
- The company's CEO was arrested for swindling investors out of millions of dollars.
- My little brother tried to swindle me out of my allowance by claiming he needed it for 'homework supplies' (it was for candy).
- Government officials must be vigilant to prevent contractors from swindling public funds.
swindle
VERB[/ˈswɪndl/]
to cheat someone out of money or property by deception
The con artist tried to swindle the elderly man out of his life savings.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Swindle derives from the German noun 'Schwindler' (swindler, cheat), which originated from the German verb 'schwindeln' meaning 'to feel dizzy or giddy'. The semantic shift reflects how deception was conceptualized as making someone's mind reel or become confused. The term was borrowed into English in the 18th century and became established with the meaning 'to fraudulently obtain money through deception'.
Breakdown
German 'schwindeln' (to dazzle, confuse, deceive) + agent suffix '-er' (one who) = 'Schwindler' (one who confuses/deceives). The English 'swindle' represents the verb form borrowed from this German source, retaining the sense of deceptive confusion but narrowed to financial fraud.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The company's CEO was arrested for swindling investors out of millions of dollars.”
“My little brother tried to swindle me out of my allowance by claiming he needed it for 'homework supplies' (it was for candy).”
“Government officials must be vigilant to prevent contractors from swindling public funds.”
“The fortune teller swindled desperate people by promising to remove their bad luck for a hefty fee.”
📚Related Words
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