con — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To study or examine carefully, especially in order to gain knowledge of; to learn, or learn by heart.

   Usage

   • Rare

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   For Caſſius is a-weary of the World: / Hated by one he loues, brau'd by his Brother, / Check'd like a bondman, all his faults obſeru'd, / Set in a Note-booke, learn'd, and con'd by roate / To caſt into my Teeth.

   At length, himself unsettling, he the pond / Stirred with his staff, and fixedly did look / Upon the muddy water, which he conned, / As if he had been reading in a book

   I did not come into parliament to con my lesson. I had earned my pension before I set my foot in St. Stephen's chapel.

   During these delectable entertainments, Miss Wirt and the chaperon sate by, and conned over the peerage, and talked about the nobility.

   More examples (4)

   He read old almanacs at the book-stalls on the quays, and he began to frequent another café, where more newspapers were taken and his post-prandial demi-tasse cost him a penny extra, and where he used to con the tattered sheets for curious anecdotes, freaks of nature, and strange coincidences.

   One day, however, when he had been conning one of his music-scores, and by force of imagination was hearing the tune in his head, he lapsed into listlessness, and the music-sheet rolled to the hearth.

   Du Mornay exchanged a few words with me, to assure himself that I understood what I had to do, and then, with many kind expressions, which I did not fail to treasure up and con over in the times that were coming, hastened downstairs after his master.

   The hawk rested on a crag of the gorge and conned the terrain with a fierce and frowning eye.

2. To know; understand; acknowledge.

   Usage

   • Obsolete
   • Rare

   Examples

   Of Muses Hobbinol, I conne no skill

Noun

1. A disadvantage of something, especially when contrasted with its advantages (pros).

   Synonyms

   disadvantage

   Related words

   pros and cons

   Examples

   pros and cons

Noun

1. A convicted criminal, a convict.

   Usage

   • Slang

Noun

1. A fraud; something carried out with the intention of deceiving, usually for personal, often illegal, gain.

   Usage

   • Informal

   Synonyms

   scam

   Examples

   My heart is breaking for my sister And the con that she called "love"

   More examples (1)

   Leavers will be attracted to that story because it spares them the discomfort of admitting that they voted for a con, and then made a prime minister of the con artist.

Verb

1. To trick, lie or defraud, usually for personal gain.

   Usage

   • Informal
   • Transitive

   Examples

   Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals [title]

   More examples (1)

   Taiwan man soaks feet in dry ice for 10 hours to con insurance firms, causing amputation […] A man in Taiwan shocked the internet after attempting to defraud five insurance companies by immersing his feet in a bucket of dry ice for 10 hours, resulting in the amputation of both feet.

Noun

1. An organized gathering, such as a convention, conference, or congress.

   Usage

   • Informal

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   I can't speak for Faye as ed of FHAPA, but it would be really swell of someone could send us a set of Intersection daily newszines, plus any con flyers or other fannish papers that were there to had for the picking up: fannish things, you know, not including media, gaming, filking or costuming, fine fun but not my cup of blog, thank you.

Noun

1. The conversion of part of a building.

   Usage

   • Informal

   Examples

   We're getting a loft con done next year.

Noun

1. Consumption; pulmonary tuberculosis.

   Usage

   • Informal
   • Obsolete
   • Uncountable

Noun

1. Squirrel, particularly the red squirrel.

   Usage

   • dialectal
   • Obsolete

2. A squirrel's nest.

   Usage

   • Northern-England
   • Obsolete

Noun

1. A political conservative.

   Usage

   • abbreviation

   Examples

   own the cons

Noun

1. an argument opposed to a proposal

   Antonyms

   pro

   Broader terms

   argumentstatement

2. a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison

   Synonyms

   convictinmateyard birdyardbird

   Broader terms

   prisonercaptive

3. a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property

   Synonyms

   buncobunco gamebunkobunko gameconfidence trickconfidence gamecon gamehustlestingflimflam

   Broader terms

   swindlecheatrigfraud

Adverb

1. in opposition to a proposition, opinion, etc.

   Antonyms

   pro

   Examples

   much was written pro and con

Verb

1. deprive of by deceit

   Synonyms

   victimizeswindlerookgoldbricknobblediddlebuncodefraudscammulcthornswoggleshort-change

   Broader terms

   cheatrip offchisel

   Examples

   He swindled me out of my inheritance

   She defrauded the customers who trusted her

2. commit to memory; learn by heart

   Synonyms

   memorizememoriselearn

   Broader terms

   studyhit the books

   Examples

   Have you memorized your lines for the play yet?