grift
noun
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L23437 on Wikidata ↗verb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L23438 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ɡɹɪft/
noun
Etymology: American criminal underworld slang, 1906 (noun), 1915 (verb), alteration of graft (“corruption, illicit profit through corrupt means, bribe, one's occupation”), alteration perhaps influenced by similar sounding words, e.g. drift, etc., probably ultimately from Middle Dutch graft (“digging, ditch, canal, trench”) (modern Dutch gracht), related to Dutch graven (“to dig”), English grave (“to dig”).
- A confidence game or swindle.
“Hey, what's the grift? What are you trying to pull?”
“‘Sounds like he’s trying to stretch out his grift for as long as possible,’ Gentle said. ‘Taking as much from his followers as he can before it falls apart.’”
verb
Etymology: American criminal underworld slang, 1906 (noun), 1915 (verb), alteration of graft (“corruption, illicit profit through corrupt means, bribe, one's occupation”), alteration perhaps influenced by similar sounding words, e.g. drift, etc., probably ultimately from Middle Dutch graft (“digging, ditch, canal, trench”) (modern Dutch gracht), related to Dutch graven (“to dig”), English grave (“to dig”).
- To obtain illegally, as by con game.
- To obtain money illegally.
- To obtain money immorally or through deceitful means.