Deceptive Practices

noun a deceptive appearance or facade that hides the true nature of something

• The building had a false front that made it appear larger than it actually was.
• The shop's false front made it look fancier than it really is.
• That store's false front is just for show.
• He put up a false front of confidence to hide his insecurities.

noun an act of foisting something

verb to force someone to accept or deal with something that is unwanted or unpleasant

• The company tried to foist their outdated software onto unsuspecting customers.
• I can't believe they tried to foist that junk on us!
• They really tried to foist that crap on me.
• She tried to foist her responsibilities onto her colleagues.

noun a gambling game in which a small object is placed under one of three shells or cups, which are then moved around quickly and the player must guess which one it is under

• The con artist was caught running a shell game on the streets of the city.
• I heard there's a guy doing a shell game down at the boardwalk.
• Don't fall for that shell game, it's a total scam.
• The political debate felt like a shell game, with each candidate trying to deceive the audience.

noun deftness; skill; craft

• The magician's sleight of hand was so skillful that no one could detect how he performed his tricks.
• I tried to learn some sleight of hand tricks from a YouTube video, but I just ended up dropping everything.
• That street performer has some serious sleight skills - you won't believe what he can do with a deck of cards!
• Her sleight in negotiating deals is unmatched in the business world.

noun a decorative display or arrangement used to enhance the appearance of something without providing any real benefit or function

• The company's annual report includes detailed financial information, not just window dressing.
• Don't be fooled by all the window dressing in the store, the prices are still too high.
• All that fancy artwork on the walls is just window dressing to distract from the real issues.
• His promises of change were just window dressing, he had no intention of following through.

noun a form of pickpocketing where the thief places an item in a person's pocket instead of taking something out

• Put-pocketing is a serious crime that involves stealing items from someone's pocket without their knowledge.
• I heard about a new form of theft called put-pocketing where thieves discreetly steal from people's pockets in crowded places.
• Watch out for put-pocketing in busy areas, they're sneaky thieves!
• The con artist was a master of put-pocketing, always finding a way to take advantage of others without them realizing it.

noun A place or organization where individuals create and spread deceptive or inflammatory content online for the purpose of manipulating public opinion or causing discord

• The troll factory was identified as a source of disinformation and propaganda.
• I heard that the troll factory is paying people to spread fake news online.
• Don't believe everything you read from that troll factory, it's all lies.
• Her mind was like a troll factory, constantly churning out negative thoughts.

verb to obtain something by deception or trickery

• Accusations of blagging information in order to gain an unfair advantage were taken seriously by the committee.
• Stop blagging your way through the project and start putting in some real effort.
• He's always blagging his way into VIP events without even having a ticket.
• She felt like she was blagging her way through life, never truly earning her successes.

noun a scandal involving the deliberate manipulation of blood samples in a sports event

• The investigation into the bloodgate scandal revealed shocking details of players faking injuries to manipulate match outcomes.
• Did you hear about the bloodgate incident during last night's game? It was crazy!
• That team's tactics are so shady, they might as well be playing bloodgate style.
• The leaked emails opened a bloodgate of controversy that the company couldn't contain.

noun mechanical doping - the use of mechanical means to cheat in sports competitions

• The athlete was accused of using mechanical doping to enhance their performance.
• Did you hear about that cyclist who got caught for mechanical doping?
• That's some serious cheating with the whole mechanical doping thing.
• His use of mechanical doping was like giving himself a secret boost.