flimflam

UK: /ˈflɪmˌflæm/ US: /ˈflɪmˌflæm/ ,(flim′flam′)

Inflections of 'flimflam' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

flimflams

v 3rd person singular

flimflamming

v pres p

flimflammed

v past

flimflammed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

flim•flam /ˈflɪmˌflæm/   n. [Informal.]

1. a deception* swindle:
   [countable] a flimflam to defraud tourists of money.
   [uncountable] a master of flimflam.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

flim•flam  (flim′flam′), n., v., -flammed, -flam•ming. [Informal.]
n. 

1. a trick or deception, esp. a swindle or confidence game involving skillful persuasion or clever manipulation of the victim.
2. a piece of nonsense;
   twaddle;
   bosh.

v.t. 

3. to trick, deceive, swindle, or cheat:
   A fortuneteller flimflammed her out of her savings.

• gradational compound of expressive origin, originally 1530–40

flim′flam′mer, n. 
flim′flam′mer•y, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

flimflam / ˈflɪmˌflæm/ noun

1. nonsense; foolishness
2. (as modifier): flimflam arguments
3. a deception; swindle

verb ( -flams, -flamming, -flammed)

1. (transitive) to deceive; trick; swindle; cheat

Etymology: 16th Century: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse flīm mockery, Norwegian flire to giggle

ˈflimˌflammer noun