WORD MEANING
Shell game meaning
SHEL GAYM · noun
A confidence trick in which a small object is hidden under one of several containers that are quickly shuffled, and the player tries to guess its location.
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A deceptive or fraudulent scheme designed to confuse or mislead.
A business or financial arrangement used to disguise ownership or movement of assets.
The term can refer to a literal street con game or be used metaphorically to describe deceptive practices.
Examples
He was tricked by a street performer playing the shell game.
The scam involved a classic shell game to distract the victims.