different between bamboozle vs hoax

English

Etymology

Derivative of 17th-century vernacular bam (“to trick, to con”), which is a derivative of bam in noun use (fraudster, cheat). Possibly from French embobiner

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bæm.?bu?.z?l/

Verb

bamboozle (third-person singular simple present bamboozles, present participle bamboozling, simple past and past participle bamboozled)

1. (transitive, informal) To con, defraud, trick, to make a fool of, to humbug or impose on someone.
   • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick, chapter 19

     “Look here, friend,” said I, “if you have anything important to tell us, out with it; but if you are only trying to bamboozle us, you are mistaken in your game; that’s all I have to say.”

2. (transitive, informal) To confuse, frustrate or perplex.

   He's completely bamboozled by the changes in the computer system.

Translations

Derived terms

Noun

bamboozle (plural bamboozles)

1. (obsolete, informal) A cheat, hoax, or imposition.

English

Etymology

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Reportedly a form of hocus. Possibly from hocus-pocus or Latin iocus (“joke”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /h??ks/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ho?ks/
• Rhymes: -??ks
• Homophone: hokes

Verb

hoax (third-person singular simple present hoaxes, present participle hoaxing, simple past and past participle hoaxed)

1. (transitive) To deceive (someone) by making them believe something that has been maliciously or mischievously fabricated.

Derived terms

• hoaxer
• hoaxster (rare)

Translations

Noun

hoax (plural hoaxes)

1. Anything deliberately intended to deceive or trick.

Synonyms

• (deliberately false story or report): canard

Derived terms

• (deliberately false story or report): hoaxical, Hoaxocaust

Translations