thimblerig

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: thimblerigs

Antonyms: thimblerigs

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. A [[game of skill]] which requires the [[bettor]] to [[guess#Verb|guess]] under which of three small [[cup]]s (or [[thimbles]]) a [[pea]]-sized object has been placed after the party operating the game rapidly [[rearrange]]s them, providing opportunity for [[sleight of hand|sleight-of-hand]] [[trickery]]; a [[shell game]].
2. One operating such a game.

Verb

1. {{lb|en|intransitive}} To [[operate]] a [[thimblerig#Noun|thimblerig]] game.
2. {{lb|en|ambitransitive|figuratively}} To cheat (someone) by [[trickery]].

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