Words for Lying Flashcards
Mountebank
A mountebank has a talent for tricking people into buying things, like the mountebank who charms women into buying “magic beauty pills” for hundreds of dollars, though they are just ordinary vitamins you can buy anywhere.
Mountebank, pronounced “MOUN-tih-bank,” has an interesting origin, in the Italian phrase “monta in banco.” It describes a “doctor” who would “mount a bench” in the marketplace. Standing a bit higher than the crowd enabled people to hear his sales pitch and see the potions and powders he claimed were medical cures that never failed — claims as bogus as his credentials. A mountebank is a fast-talking crook pretending to be an expert.
Sophist
A sophist is someone who makes good points about an issue — until you realize those points aren’t entirely true, like a political candidate who twists an opponent’s words or gives misleading facts during a speech.
Sophist has the accent on the first syllable: “SAW fist.” It comes from the Greek word sophizesthai, meaning “to become wise or learned, deceive.” In fact, deceit was just part of the job for the ancient Greek philosophers called Sophists. The cleverness of the Sophists prevented students from seeing that the Sophists’ arguments didn’t reach logical conclusions — and the Sophists kept their paying students coming back for more.
Specious
Use specious to describe an argument that seems to be good, correct, or logical, but is not so. We live on the earth, therefore the earth must be the center of the universe has been proven to be a specious theory of the solar system.
Specious is pronounced “SPEE-shuhs.” Something that is specious is attractive in a deceptive way, and if you follow the word’s etymology, you’ll see why. In Middle English, this adjective meant “attractive,” from Latin speciōsus “showy, beautiful,” from speciēs “appearance, kind, sort.” Latin speciēs is also the source of English species.
Spurious
Something false or inauthentic is spurious. Don’t trust spurious ideas and stories. Spurious statements often are lies, just as a spurious coin is a counterfeit coin — a fake.
Anytime you see the word spurious, you’re dealing with things that can’t be trusted or accepted at face value. A spurious claim is one that’s not backed up by the facts. A spurious argument relies on faulty reasoning — and maybe some lies. Politicians often accuse each other of saying things that are spurious and meant to deceive the voters. As long as you’re honest, clear, and not trying to trick anyone, nobody can say you’re being spurious.
apocryphal
Urban legends — stories about phantom hitchhikers, deep-fried rats, and spider eggs in bubblegum — are classic examples of apocryphal tales. They’re told as if they’re true, but no one can ever verify their origins or authenticity.
Today, any dubious or unverifiable story may be dismissed as apocryphal.
ersatz
ersatz
The ersatz version of something is an inferior substitute or imitation. You might speak in an ersatz French accent, but you won’t fool the Parisian who runs the local French bakery.
Used as a noun or adjective, ersatz stems from the German verb ersetzen, which means “to replace.” Compared with regular Coke, Diet Coke may be considered an ersatz beverage because of its artificial sweeteners. Similarly, rich, creamy, full-fat ice cream is much better than the ersatz, fat-free version, or frozen yogurt. You would be in deep trouble if your fiancé found out that her engagement ring was an ersatz diamond.
Skulduggery
Skulduggery is dishonest words that are meant to trick people, like your brother’s fast-talking that leaves you doing all of his chores and your own, plus giving him your allowance. He’s a master of skulduggery.
Skulduggery is an alteration of the Scottish word for “adultery,” sculdudrie. Lies, deceit, dirty tricks? Sounds like skulduggery — or using clever words to take advantage of a situation, or person — is involved. However, skulduggery can have many other goals, from lying to potential customers about what a product can do or telling voters anything they want to hear in order to secure their votes.
machination
machination
When a James Bond villain comes up with a plan to destroy the world, he doesn’t use a simple plan. No, he uses a machination — a complex plot that relies on numerous elements coming together to work.
Not surprisingly, machination derives from the Medieval French machina, meaning “machine.” And, like many a machine, a machination is subject to going wrong, often comically (see James Bond movies). Politicians love a good machination, and their machinations are frequently exposed in the press as scandals.
Hornswoggle
deprive of by deceit Looking for a colorful Americanism to describe how you’ve just been deceived out of all your money? Say you’ve been hornswoggled!
