Con

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /kɒn/

Definitions

1. To cheat or swindle someone by deception ; a term for a person imprisoned or serving a sentence ; a concise summary or outline of facts or points
2. To gain something by misleading others or lying ; referring to an inmate in jail or the jail itself ; an organized listing of information covering a topic
3. To manipulate by dishonest means for personal gain ; identifying an offender held in custody or the institution ; a brief account or synopsis presenting key details

Etymology: The fraud sense is a clipping. It comes from "con trick," itself shortened from "confidence trick," which relied on winning a victim's trust before taking their money. The shorter form then slipped loose from its phrase and could stand alone as a verb and a noun. A separate "con" is older and has nothing to do with deception. It comes from an earlier word "cond," which is related to "conn," meaning to direct the course of a ship from the helm. Its sailing sense of steering and guiding is the one that sits furthest from cheating. The jail sense is less certain. It is perhaps a clipping of "convict," with the word for a prisoner cut down to its first syllable, but the exact pathway is not firmly established.

Synonyms: swindle, scam, deceive, trick, fool

Antonyms: contribute, assist, support, help