different between illusive vs sham

English

Etymology

illusion +? -ive

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??lu?s?v/
• Homophone: elusive

Adjective

illusive (comparative more illusive, superlative most illusive)

1. Subject to or pertaining to an illusion, often used in the sense of an unrealistic expectation or an unreachable goal or outcome.

   Testing software completely is an illusive goal.

   • […] he could not catch the illusive thing that had sadly perplexed as well as elevated his spirit.

Usage notes

• Often confused with elusive.

Synonyms

• (pertaining to an illusion): illusory

Derived terms

• illusively
• illusiveness

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?æm/
• Rhymes: -æm

Etymology 1

Probably a dialectal form of shame.

Adjective

sham

1. Intended to deceive; false.

2. counterfeit; unreal
   • 1881, Benjamin Jowett, Thucydides

     They scorned the sham independence proffered to them by the Athenians.

Synonyms

• mock
• See also Thesaurus:fake

Antonyms

• genuine
• sincere
• real

Derived terms

• shammish

Translations

Noun

sham (countable and uncountable, plural shams)

1. A fake; an imitation that purports to be genuine.

2. Trickery, hoaxing.

3. A false front, or removable ornamental covering.
4. A decorative cover for a pillow.

Derived terms

• shamateur

Translations

See also

• pillow sham

Verb

sham (third-person singular simple present shams, present participle shamming, simple past and past participle shammed)

1. To deceive, cheat, lie.
2. To obtrude by fraud or imposition.
3. To assume the manner and character of; to imitate; to ape; to feign.

Translations

Etymology 2

Noun

sham (uncountable)

1. (slang) Champagne.
   • (Can we find and add a quotation of William Makepeace Thackeray to this entry?)

     So I orders a bottle, as if for myself; and, 'Ma'am,' says I, 'will you take a glass of Sham — just one?'

Further reading

• sham in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• sham in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• sham at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• AMHS, HMAS, HSAM, Hams, MASH, MHAs, MSHA, Mahs, Mash, SAHM, Sahm, hams, mash

Karakalpak

Etymology

From Arabic ????

Noun

sham

1. candle

Uzbek

Etymology

From Arabic ????

Noun

sham (plural shamlar)

1. candle