con Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun an argument opposed to a proposal
noun a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
inmate; convict; yard bird; yardbird.
noun a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property
bunko; bunco game; bunko game; sting; flimflam; con game; confidence game; gyp; bunco; hustle; confidence trick.
verb deprive of by deceit
rook; scam; gip; nobble; goldbrick; short-change; mulct; gyp; bunco; victimize; hornswoggle; diddle; defraud; swindle.
- He swindled me out of my inheritance
- She defrauded the customers who trusted her
- the cashier gypped me when he gave me too little change
verb commit to memory; learn by heart
learn; memorise; memorize.
- Have you memorized your lines for the play yet?
adverb in opposition to a proposition, opinion, etc.
- much was written pro and con

Abbrev. from L. contra against.

Against the affirmative side; in opposition; on the negative side; -- The antithesis of pro, and usually in connection with it. See Pro.

AS. cunnan to know, be able, and (derived from this) cunnian to try, test. See Can, v. t. & i.

imperfect & past participle Conned ; present participle & verbal noun Conning

To know; to understand; to acknowledge. Obs.
Of muses, Hobbinol, I con no skill. Spenser.

They say they con to heaven the highway. Spenser.
To study in order to know; to peruse; to learn; to commit to memory; to regard studiously.
Fixedly did look Upon the muddy waters which he conned As if he had been reading in a book. Wodsworth.

I did not come into Parliament to con my lesson. Burke.
Shak.

See Cond.

(Naut.) To conduct, or superintend the steering of (a vessel); to watch the course of (a vessel) and direct the helmsman how to steer.