thimblerig: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareSpecialist / Historical / Informal
Quick answer
What does “thimblerig” mean?
A gambling game (shell game) where a small ball or pea is hidden under one of three thimble-like cups which are then shuffled quickly, and the player must guess which cup hides the ball.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A gambling game (shell game) where a small ball or pea is hidden under one of three thimble-like cups which are then shuffled quickly, and the player must guess which cup hides the ball; typically used to swindle people.
More generally: a deceptive trick, fraud, or swindle; to cheat or trick someone, especially by means of a confidence game or sleight of hand.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage; the term is equally rare and historical in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes old-fashioned trickery, often associated with 19th-century street gamblers or carnivals.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary use. More likely to be encountered in historical novels, descriptions of period scams, or as a colourful synonym for 'con'.
Grammar
How to Use “thimblerig” in a Sentence
to thimblerig someone (out of something)to run/operate a thimblerigVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “thimblerig” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The street hustler attempted to thimblerig the tourists out of fifty pounds.
- He felt he'd been thoroughly thimblerigged at the fair.
American English
- The carny was known to thimblerig unsuspecting patrons.
- They realized too late they'd been thimblerigged into a bad deal.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Might be used metaphorically for a deceptive financial scheme: 'The investment offer was nothing but a corporate thimblerig.'
Academic
Found in historical or sociological studies of gambling and street crime.
Everyday
Virtually unused in modern everyday conversation.
Technical
Not a technical term in any major field.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “thimblerig”
- Using 'thimblerig' to refer to any simple children's game (it implies fraud).
- Misspelling as 'thimble rig' (though historically two words, modern dictionaries often list as one).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The specific game is rare but still exists as the 'shell game' or 'three-card monte' in some street scam contexts. The term 'thimblerig' itself is antiquated.
Yes, though it's very rare. It means 'to swindle someone using a trick like the shell game' or, more broadly, 'to con'.
They are synonyms. 'Thimblerig' is the older, more specific British term (using thimbles). 'Shell game' is the more common modern American term (using walnut shells).
No, it's a low-priority, passive vocabulary item. It's useful for understanding historical texts or colourful metaphors but not for everyday communication.
A gambling game (shell game) where a small ball or pea is hidden under one of three thimble-like cups which are then shuffled quickly, and the player must guess which cup hides the ball.
Thimblerig is usually specialist / historical / informal in register.
Thimblerig: in British English it is pronounced /ˈθɪmblrɪɡ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈθɪmbəlˌrɪɡ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the old thimblerig (referring to a predictable, repetitive trick)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a RIGged game using a THIMBLE. A THIMBLE-RIG is a fixed, dishonest setup.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE / BUSINESS IS A GAMBLING GAME (where deception is possible).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'thimblerig'?