THIMBLERIG

Etymology

Noun

thimblerig (plural thimblerigs)

A game of skill which requires the bettor to guess under which of three small cups (or thimbles) a pea-sized object has been placed after the party operating the game rapidly rearranges them, providing opportunity for sleight-of-hand trickery; a shell game.

One operating such a game.

Synonyms

• (game): shell game

• (operator): thimblerigger

Verb

thimblerig (third-person singular simple present thimblerigs, present participle thimblerigging, simple past and past participle thimblerigged)

To cheat in the thimblerig game.

To cheat by trickery.

Source: Wiktionary

Thim"ble*rig`, n.

Definition: A sleight-of-hand trick played with three small cups, shaped like thimbles, and a small ball or little pea.

Thim"ble*rig`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Thimblerigged; p. pr. & vb. n. Thimblerigging.]

Definition: To swindle by means of small cups or thimbles, and a pea or small ball placed under one of them and quickly shifted to another, the victim laying a wager that he knows under which cup it is; hence, to cheat by any trick.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition