Sham — Defs

01 n. That which deceives expectation; any trick, fraud, or device that deludes and disappoints; a make-believe; delusion; imposture; humbug.

1.
That which deceives expectation; any trick, fraud, or device that deludes and disappoints; a make-believe; delusion; imposture; humbug.
“Believe who will the solemn sham, not I.” — Addison.
2.
A false front, or removable ornamental covering.

Phrases & compounds

Pillow sham — a covering to be laid on a pillow.

02 a. False; counterfeit; pretended; feigned; unreal; as, a sham fight.

1.
False; counterfeit; pretended; feigned; unreal; as, a sham fight.
“They scorned the sham independence proffered to them by the Athenians.” — Jowett (Thucyd)

03 v. t. To trick; to cheat; to deceive or delude with false pretenses.

imp. & p. p. Shammed; p. pr. & vb. n. Shamming

1.
To trick; to cheat; to deceive or delude with false pretenses.
“Fooled and shammed into a conviction.” — L'Estrange.
2.
To obtrude by fraud or imposition.[R.]
“We must have a care that we do not . . . sham fallacies upon the world for current reason.” — L'Estrange.
3.
To assume the manner and character of; to imitate; to ape; to feign.

Phrases & compounds

To sham Abram — to feign sickness; to malinger. Hence a malingerer is called, in sailors' cant, Sham Abram, or Sham Abraham.

04 v. i. To make false pretenses; to deceive; to feign; to impose.

1.
To make false pretenses; to deceive; to feign; to impose.
“Wondering . . . whether those who lectured him were such fools as they professed to be, or were only shamming.” — Macaulay.