- Today's Word
Bamboozle
[bam-BOO-zuhl]
Definition
- (verb) To deceive or trick someone, often through clever manipulation or trickery. It implies fooling or confusing someone, usually for personal gain or amusement.
Example
The con artist tried to bamboozle the elderly couple into investing their life savings in a fake real estate scheme.
Fun Fact
The origin of “bamboozle” is uncertain, but it first appeared in English in the early 18th century. Some linguists speculate it might be connected to the Scottish word “bombaze,” meaning to confuse or perplex. Others suggest it could be related to the French word “embabouiner,” meaning to make a fool of someone. Regardless of its exact origins, “bamboozle” has become a colorful and playful way to describe acts of trickery or deception.
(verb) To criticize someone or something severely and publicly, often with harsh or scathing language.
The columnist excoriated the company’s leadership for ignoring repeated safety warnings.
Excoriate comes from the Latin excoriare, meaning “to strip off the skin,” from ex- (“off”) and corium (“hide” or “skin”). While the word originally described physical abrasion, its meaning shifted metaphorically over time to describe verbal attacks so harsh they feel skin-deep, leaving nothing protected.