Agency Dictionary

Bamboozle

verbPronunciation: /bæmˈbuː.zəl/

In Portuguese: Confundir

Psychology & Mind

What does “Bamboozle” mean?

To deceive, confuse, or frustrate someone through deliberate trickery or misleading assertions.

Etymology

Of unknown origin. The word appears in English at the beginning of the 18th century, when it was criticised as one of the new slang words of the day, and it seems to have come from the cant of thieves and sharpers. Links with Scots bombaze, "to perplex", and with French embabouiner, "to make a fool of", have been proposed, but none is proved.

Usage note

An informal and rather playful word. It implies deliberate trickery, usually by fast talk, more than simple confusion.

Synonyms

hoodwink
dupe
trick
fool
deceive
bewilder

Word family

bamboozler
bamboozlement

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

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