Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

play-a-shell-game

verb

/pleɪ ə ʃɛl ɡeɪm/

Definition

To engage in a deceitful or manipulative activity where the truth is obscured, often used in contexts involving trickery.

Examples

At the fair, the magician decided to play-a-shell-game with the audience, hiding a ball under one of three cups.
Politicians are sometimes accused of trying to play-a-shell-game with the truth to mislead voters.
It felt like they were playing a shell game with our expectations, never giving us a straight answer.

Meaning

The term refers to a type of scam or distraction where something valuable is hidden, and the objective is to ensure that the target is confused about where it is.