shell game

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: hell gate, small game, shell lime, shell lake, shell games

Antonyms: hell gate, small game, shell lime, shell lake, shell games

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. A game of skill which requires the bettor to guess which of three small cups (or [[shells]]) a pea-sized object is concealed under, after the party operating the game rapidly rearranges them, providing opportunity for [[sleight of hand|sleight-of-hand]] [[trickery]].
2. Any [[confidence]] [[scheme]], especially one involving the rapid movement of investment funds to a location beyond recovery.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.