Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
humbug
/ˈhʌmbʌɡ/Canada, UK
/ˈhəmˌbəɡ/US
Where it comes from
Origin unknown; the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) states that “the facts as to its origin appear to have been lost, even before the word became common enough to excite attention”. It has been suggested that the word possibly derives from hummer (“(slang) An obvious lie”), or from hum (“(dialectal and slang) to cajole; delude; impose on”) + bug (“a goblin, a spectre”). In his Slang Dictionary (1864), English bibliophile and publisher John Camden Hotten (1832–1873) suggested a link to the name of the German city of Hamburg, “from which town so many false bulletins and reports came during the war in the last century”, or alternatively a derivation from ambage.
Hotten also said he had traced the earliest occurrence of the word to the title page of Ferdinando Killigrew’s book The Universal Jester (see quotations), which he dated to about 1735–1740. This dating has therefore been adopted by other dictionaries. However, the OED dates the word to about 1750, as the earliest edition of Killigrew’s work has been dated to 1754.
nounhumbugs
countable, slangA hoax, jest, or prank.The universal jester: or, a pocket companion for the wits. Being a choice collection of merry conceits, facetious Drolleries, humorous Waggeries, smart Repartees, pleasant Jokes, Clenchers, Closures, Bon Mots, and Humbugs; comic Stories, notable Puns, witty Quibbles, and ridiculous Bulls. To which a
countable, slangA fraud or sham; (uncountable) hypocrisy.Look at the affairs of nations on the widest scale—look at their intercourse with each other—look at the manifestoes, by which war is declared—look at the treaties, by which peace is restored—look at the professions of kings, or popes, or generals, or ministers. Is not cant, humbug, hypocrisy, the s
countable, slangA cheat, fraudster, or hypocrite.He is a political humbug, the greatest of all humbugs; a man who swaggers about London clubs and consults solemnly about his influence, and in the country is a nonentity.
slang, uncountableNonsense.But let me tell Warner, and all ether geniuses of his cast, that such inventions are all a humbug. Such, tactics and tools are all to short-sighted and short-bitted for the work proposed.
UK, countableA type of hard sweet (candy), usually peppermint flavoured with a striped pattern.[…] and if Albert Dykes wasn't sucking a mint humbug, my nose is not what it is and always has been.
US, countable, slangAnything complicated, offensive, troublesome, unpleasant or worrying; a misunderstanding, especially if trivial.
US, countable, slangA fight.Yet, for all the ferocity, the fights were short-lived. Every group except the Vice Kings, who had been most threatened, were brought under control fairly quickly and stayed to see the basketball game—only the Vice Kings missed it. Moreover, despite talk of retaliation, the humbug was self-contained
US, countable, dated, slangA gang.
US, countable, slangA false arrest on trumped-up charges."Let's talk first, Mr. Brown," Sergeant Murillo said. "Do you remember telling these officers you were going to sue them for false arrest?" / Bootsie Brown paused with the cookie halfway to his lips and said, "I mighta. It was a humbug arrest. That's why they let me and Axel outta jail in forty-eigh
countable, slangThe piglet of the wild boar.Many have been cross-bred with commercial breeds such as Tamworths, producing a "superbreed" of fertile boar, which were "more robust", and could produce five or six young. known as humbugs, per litter.
interjection
slangBalderdash!, nonsense!, rubbish![Mr. Clarendon] Steady. Aristotle laughs at you. / [Mr. Algernon Sidney] Twist. He's an impertinent fellow! I say again—Liberty! freedom! glory! / Steady. Humbug! humbug! humbug!
verbhumbugs · humbugging · humbugged
ambitransitive, slangTo play a trick on (someone), to cheat, to swindle, to deceive.Here's a Humbugger come, / Will prove the reſt nothing at all, / 'Tis a Jobber, a Factor, / A damn'd Corn Contractor, / Who makes all our Loaves be ſo ſmall; […] And may all ſuch elves, / Be thus Humbugg'd themſelves, / Who thus are Humbugging the poor: / And as ſure as the Bone makes the Cleaver to
