Hoodwinking Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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hoodwinking
[ËhĘdËwÉŞĹkÉŞĹ ]
Definition
deception act
Hoodwinking refers to the act of deceiving or tricking someone, often by misleading them. This behavior typically involves cunning, manipulation, or clever tactics to create a false impression or belief.
Synonyms
deceive, fool, mislead, trick.
Examples of usage
- The magician's act was impressive, but it was really just hoodwinking the audience.
- He felt embarrassed after realizing that he had been hoodwinked by a clever scam.
- Hoodwinking someone into believing a lie can lead to trust issues.
- The advertisement was criticized for hoodwinking consumers with false promises.
Translations
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Interesting Facts
Literature
- In Shakespeare's play 'Othello', deception plays a critical role, showing how characters hoodwink each other.
- Many classic fairy tales involve characters using tricks to hoodwink others, like the cunning fox in 'The Gingerbread Man.'
Psychology
- The concept of hoodwinking relates to cognitive biases, where people are tricked by their own perceptions.
- Research shows that people are often more easily hoodwinked when they are tired or distracted.
Pop Culture
- TV shows like 'The Office' often feature characters trying to hoodwink their coworkers for laughs.
- Magic shows and illusionists are contemporary entertainers who specialize in hoodwinking their audiences.
History
- A famous example of hoodwinking in history is the Trojan Horse, which tricked the Trojans into allowing Greek soldiers into their city.
- Political schemes throughout history often involve hoodwinking citizens to gain support or power.
Origin of 'hoodwinking'
Main points about word origin
- The term comes from the 17th century, originally referring to blindfolding someone with a hood.
- It evolved to mean deceiving or tricking someone, like hiding the truth from them.
The term 'hoodwink' originates from the phrase 'to hood a person,' meaning to cover the eyes, thus preventing someone from seeing reality. Its roots can be traced back to the 16th century, where it was used in a context suggesting the act of deceiving by covering or obscuring something. The prefix 'hood' refers to a covering, while 'wink' implies closing the eyes, which symbolically indicates an act of blindness to the truth. Over time, the term evolved to specifically denote deceptive practices and trickery, especially in contexts where a person is misled without their knowledge. Today, 'hoodwink' is commonly used in discussions about scams, fraud, and misleading advertisements.
Word Frequency Rank
Ranking #39,697, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.