Hornswoggler

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who cheats or deceives others, often by trickery or fraud, to gain an unfair advantage ; someone who swindles or bilks others through dishonest schemes or false representation ; an individual who practices deception and manipulation to defraud people, typically for personal gain
2. One who engages in dishonest practices to mislead and exploit others; a swindler who uses cunning tricks or lies to cheat ; a trickster who employs fraudulent tactics to deceive and gain benefits unfairly
3. An individual who uses deceitful or fraudulent methods to fool others and secure advantages ; a cheat who manipulates facts or situations for personal gain ; a schemer who gains by dishonest means through cunning and falsehood

Etymology: "Hornswoggler" is built from "hornswoggle" plus the agent suffix "-er," so it names a person who hornswoggles, that is, a dishonest trickster. The verb "hornswoggle" is the more colorful piece of the pair, and it carries the real weight of the word's meaning: to cheat or deceive someone through trickery or sly manipulation. The suffix is the plain part of the story. Attaching "-er" to a verb to name the doer of its action is one of English's most productive patterns, and "hornswoggler" follows it exactly. Its sense stays tied to the verb's notion of tricking someone out of something, which is why the noun reads as a con artist rather than a mere joker.

Synonyms: swindler, cheater, fraud, deceiver, trickster

Antonyms: honest person, truthful person, fair dealer