Thimblerig

Quick meaning: Thimblerig is a noun meaning One operating such a game.

Meaning

One operating such a game.

More Meanings

1. (intransitive) To operate a thimblerig game.
2. (ambitransitive, figuratively) To cheat (someone) by trickery.
3. A game of skill which requires the bettor to guess under which of three small cups (or thimbles) a pea-sized object has been placed after the party operating the game rapidly rearranges them, providing opportunity for sleight-of-hand trickery; a shell game.

Example Sentences

‘Great Barnums?’ says I. ‘You're a ringer for a circus thimblerig man.’

The favor is to you. I do not permit any man to thimblerig his debts to me into my debts to him.

He’ll muddle away the Begum’s fortune at thimble-rig, be caught picking pockets, and finish on board the hulks.

Old Pratt is a different kind of crook—a psalm-singing, pussyfooted old buccaneer, teaching a Bible class on Sundays and thimblerigging in Wall Street on week days.

Word Forms

• thimblerigs
• thimble-rig
• thimblerigging
• thimblerigged

Synonyms for thimblerig

Depending on context, synonyms include thimblerigger.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include thumper, three-ball, threesies, flutter, pebbling, bumblepuppy.

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