Sham
Sham (sham) , noun
[Originally the same word as shame, hence, a disgrace, a trick. See Shame, n.]
1.
That which deceives expectation; any trick, fraud, or device that deludes and disappoints; a make-believe; delusion; imposture; humbug.
A mere sham.
Believe who will the solemn sham, not I.
2.
A false front, or removable ornamental covering.
Collocations (1)
Pillow sham , a covering to be laid on a pillow.
Sham , adjective
False; counterfeit; pretended; feigned; unreal; as, a sham fight.
They scorned the sham independence proffered to them by the Athenians.
Sham , transitive verb
1.
To trick; to cheat; to deceive or delude with false pretenses.
Fooled and shammed into a conviction.
2.
To obtrude by fraud or imposition. [Rare]
We must have a care that we do not... sham fallacies upon the world for current reason.
3.
To assume the manner and character of; to imitate; to ape; to feign.
Collocations (1)
To sham Abram or To sham Abraham , to feign sickness; to malinger. Hence a malingerer is called, in sailors' cant, Sham Abram, or Sham Abraham.
Sham , intransitive verb
To make false pretenses; to deceive; to feign; to impose.
Wondering... whether those who lectured him were such fools as they professed to be, or were only shamming.