thimblerig

thim·ble·rig  (thmbl-rg)

n.

1. See shell game.

2. One who operates a thimblerig.

tr.v. thim·ble·rigged, thim·ble·rig·ging, thim·ble·rigs

To swindle with or as if with a thimblerig.

---

thimble·rigger n.

---

thimblerig [ˈθɪmb^əlˌrɪg]

n

(Group Games / Gambling, except Cards) a game in which the operator rapidly moves about three inverted thimbles, often with sleight of hand, one of which conceals a token, the other player betting on which thimble the token is under

vb -rigs, -rigging, -rigged (tr)

(Group Games / Gambling, except Cards) to cheat or swindle, as in this game

[from thimble + rig (in obsolete sense: a trick, scheme)]

thimblerigger  n

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

thimblerig - a swindling sleight-of-hand game; victim guesses which of three things a pellet is under shell game swindle, cheat, rig - the act of swindling by some fraudulent scheme; "that book is a fraud"