con
UK[kɒn]US[kɑːn]
v
To persuade someone to do something or believe something by lying to them or tricking them.
n
A trick or lie used to persuade someone to do something or give you money.
n
A disadvantage or a reason for not doing something (often used in the phrase 'pros and cons').
Etymology
The word 'con' is a modern abbreviation, originating in the late 19th century as a shortened form of 'confidence' in the context of a 'confidence trick' or 'confidence game'. This trick relies on gaining the victim's trust (their confidence) before defrauding them. The term 'confidence man' was first recorded in 1849, and its clipped form 'con' for the trick or the act of tricking followed naturally. The use of 'con' to mean a disadvantage, as in 'pros and cons', is a separate and older abbreviation, deriving from the Latin preposition 'contra', meaning 'against'.
Analysis
This word is a simplex. It is a clipping of the longer word 'confidence', as in 'confidence trick'.
Examples
He was conned into investing his life savings in a fake company.
The scheme was an elaborate con that fooled hundreds of people.
We must carefully consider all the pros and cons before making a decision.