SHAMS
Noun
shams
plural of sham
Anagrams
• HMSAS, SAHMs, Sahms, smash
Source: Wiktionary
SHAM
Sham, n. Etym: [Originally the same word as shame, hence, a disgrace,
a trick. See Shame, n.]
1. That which deceives expectation; any trick, fraud, or device that
deludes and disappoint; a make-believe; delusion; imposture, humbug.
"A mere sham." Bp. Stillingfleet.
Believe who will the solemn sham, not I. Addison.
2. A false front, or removable ornamental covering. Pillow sham, a
covering to be laid on a pillow.
Sham, a.
Definition: False; counterfeit; pretended; feigned; unreal; as, a sham
fight.
They scorned the sham independence proffered to them by the
Athenians. Jowett (Thucyd)
Sham, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shammed; p. pr. & vb. n. Shamming.]
1. To trick; to cheat; to deceive or delude with false pretenses.
Fooled and shammed into a conviction. L'Estrange.
2. To obtrude by fraud or imposition. [R.]
We must have a care that we do not . . . sham fallacies upon the
world for current reason. L'Estrange.
3. To assume the manner and character of; to imitate; to ape; to
feign. To sham Abram or Abraham, to feign sickness; to malinger.
Hence a malingerer is called, in sailors' cant, Sham Abram, or Sham
Abraham.
Sham, v. i.
Definition: To make false pretenses; to deceive; to feign; to impose.
Wondering . . . whether those who lectured him were such fools as
they professed to be, or were only shamming. Macaulay.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition