sham
(shăm)
[Perhaps dialectal variant of shame.]
noun
- Something false or empty that is purported to be genuine; a spurious imitation.
- The quality of deceitfulness; empty pretense.
- One who assumes a false character; an impostor: “He a man! Hell! He was a hollow sham!” (Joseph Conrad)
- A decorative cover made to simulate an article of household linen and used over or in place of it: a pillow sham.
adjective
- Not genuine; fake: sham diamonds; sham modesty.
verb: shammed, sham·ming, shams.
transitive verb
- To put on the false appearance of; feign: “shamming insanity to get his tormentors to leave him alone” (John Wain)
intransitive verb
- To assume a false appearance or character; dissemble.
derivatives
- shaḿmer
- noun
