English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Abraham man (a beggar who pretends to be ill) + sham (trickery, hoaxing).

Noun

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Abraham sham (plural Abraham shams)

  1. (obsolete, UK, thieves' cant) Feigned sickness or distress.
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References

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  • John S[tephen] Farmer, compiler (1890) “Abraham sham”, in Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present. [], volume I, [London: [] Thomas Poulter and Sons] [], →OCLC, page 10.

Anagrams

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