Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A swindle practised by two or more confederates upon a stranger (generally by gaining his confidence on the ground of alleged previous acquaintance with himself or some of his friends), who is allured to a house, and there fleeced at some game, openly robbed, or otherwise victimized. Also called bunko-game.
  • To victimize, as by a bunko-man.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A kind of swindling game or scheme, originally by means of cards or by a sham lottery, but now used for any swindling tactic.
  • transitive verb To swindle by a bunko game or scheme; to cheat or victimize in any similar way, as by a confidence game, passing a bad check, etc.
  • transitive verb [Slang, U.S.] a person employed as a decoy in bunko.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Alternative spelling of bunco.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • This scheme central the functioning of Wall Street is the definition of the traditional "confidence trick" also known as a bunko, hustle, scam or swindle.

    In God We...Invest 2010

  • This scheme central the functioning of Wall Street is the definition of the traditional "confidence trick" also known as a bunko, hustle, scam or swindle.

    Jeff Schweitzer: In God We...Invest 2010

  • This scheme central the functioning of Wall Street is the definition of the traditional "confidence trick" also known as a bunko, hustle, scam or swindle.

    Jeff Schweitzer: In God We...Invest 2010

  • If you roll three of any kind you gain 5 points, and if you roll three of that round's number (called a bunko) your instantly score 21.

    Bunko, DVD's, and Buffets drewan 2003

  • Smoke theire Tobacco after a very meane, but I judge Original manner, Onely ye leafe rowled up, and light one end, holdinge ye other between their lips ... this is called a bunko, and by ye Portugals a Cheroota. "

    The Social History of Smoking George Latimer Apperson 1897

  • And no matter what the glue may be bunko, books, sewing, golf, coffee, etc, one thing is certain.

    Archive 2010-05-01 Shirley Damsgaard 2010

  • Badger, when you get back from fag bunko please feed my Snatchtrucker.

    THX LEMUR 2008

  • And no matter what the glue may be bunko, books, sewing, golf, coffee, etc, one thing is certain.

    Welcome Elizabeth Lynn Casey!! Shirley Damsgaard 2010

  • It's a good one to play when you want to have a conversation in conjunction with the game - a bit like bunko.

    bizzitches only wants to play candyland 2009

  • There's even a book called Snake Oil Science, written by a biostatistician and senior Research Methodologist at the University of Maryland, that tells us why alternative and complementary medicine lies somewhere between bunko and hokum.

    Lee Schneider: Snake Oil Medicine 2009

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