sham v.1
to deceive, to hoax, to fool; to pretend to be or do something.
 | (trans.) Erasmus Witt against Wisdom (1509) 53: [They] are shamm’d off by a parcel of insinuating Courtiers, that acquit themselves as Flatterers more than as Friends. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Squire of Alsatia III i: Mr. Cheatly in the first place shall Sham and Banter with you. | |
| Humours of a Coffee-House 22 Jan. 95: It is one of D--- F--- old Tricks: He’s come out of Scotland to Sham us again. | |
| Sham Beggar Epilogue: Now I’ve done with shamming Beggar. | |
| View of Society II 179: One of the prisoners pretended to be very much concerned for, and condoled with her, shamm’d a bit of a cry. | |
| Peter Simple (1911) 23: The captain tells me in this note that you have been shamming stupid. | |
| Paul Periwinkle 438: He at first shammed not to know anything about a horse. | |
| Tom Brown’s School-Days (1896) 276: I wasn’t going to sham religious to curry favour with the Doctor. | |
| Moonstone (1966) 369: How I spent the night, after shamming ill again at tea-time, and having been sent up to bed, there is no need to tell you. | |
| ‘All among the Hay’ India-Rubber Face Song Bk 4: Still for all that I could see, She was shamming cold; / ‘Bought off’ she should never be, / I would not be ‘sold’. | |
| Famous Racing Men 18: Zounds! Joe has jockeyed us after all. Drunk as a lord at three o’clock, and riding the great race ten hours after. Do you think he shammed drunk, Smith? | |
| Mysterious Beggar 209: Those who make a ‘regular thing,’ a ‘professional business’ of shaming a misery for the purpose of getting ‘alms-money’. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Such is Life 55: ‘Curious combination of a fool and a well-informed man,’ remarked Ward. ‘Is he either of the two?’ asked Broome. ‘My belief, he shams both.’. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Types From City Streets 44: He is quick to detect insincerity and shamming. | |
| Queen of Sheba 35: He’s just shamming. | |
| Nine Tailors (1984) 197: The man’s not shamming – he’s really ill. | |
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | Tramp at Anchor 120: Men had tried [...] shamming sick. | |
| Best Man To Die (1981) 104: Had he really been ill or had he been shamming, crafty sick to give himself extra time in Leeds? | |
| Runnin’ Down Some Lines 98: A number of the terms, to sham, to slick, to run a game, and to gigolo, imply pulling the wool over another’s eyes. | |
| Campus Sl. Mar. 9: sham – betray, treat shabbily. |
In derivatives
in context of health, one who hoaxes or deceives .
| Regiment 25 Apr. 61/2: We do not here refer to the ‘shammer’ or the malade imaginaire [...] He is selfish to a degree. |
In phrases
1. (US black) to cheat, to deceive.
| Runnin’ Down Some Lines 253: sham on (one) 1. Deceive. | |
| Campus Sl. Mar. 9: sham – betray, treat shabbily: Susan shammed on me last night when she left the party early. |
2. (US campus) to tease, to make fun of someone.
| Runnin’ Down Some Lines 253: sham on (one) [...] 2. Outwit. | |
| Campus Sl. Mar. 9: sham on – make fun of: Quit shamming on me. |