# con

Pronunciation: say "KON" US /kɑn/, UK /kɒn/

## Noun

1. A disadvantage or argument against something, usually weighed against its advantages, or pros.
   - Simple: A disadvantage or a reason against something, especially when you compare it with its advantages.
   - _The biggest con of the plan is how much it will cost._
   - _She weighed the pros and cons of moving across the country for the job._
2. A fraud carried out to deceive someone, usually for personal and often illegal gain. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A dishonest trick to fool people, usually to get money or something else for yourself.
   - _The charity appeal was a con, and none of the money ever reached the flood victims._
   - _Many voters now see the promise of lower prices as a con._
3. A convention, conference, or similar organized gathering, especially one held for fans of an interest such as science fiction. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A big planned meeting where many people come together.
   - _Fans from across the country came to the science fiction con._
   - _He spent the whole con going from panel to panel and came home with flyers for three more cons._
5. A person who has been convicted of a crime. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A person found guilty of a crime by a court.
   - _The guards warned the new con about which inmates to avoid._
   - _A former con, he now runs a program that helps people find work after prison._
7. A person who is politically conservative. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A person with conservative ideas about politics.
   - _Both the libs and the cons claimed victory after the debate._
   - _His sister blamed the cons in Congress for blocking the bill._
8. Alternative form of conn. The duty of directing a ship's steering, as in take the con or have the con. — Alternative form of conn (“navigational direction of a ship”).
   - Simple: Alternative form of conn. The job of giving steering orders on a ship, as in 'take the con'.
   - _At midnight the navigator took the con and brought the ship onto its new heading._
   - _With the captain ashore, the first mate had the con for the rest of the night._
10. The conversion of part of a building, such as a loft, to a new use. *(colloquial, British)*
   - Simple: Work that changes part of a building so it can be used in a new way.
   - _We got three quotes for the loft con before choosing a builder._
   - _The builders say the loft con should add a bedroom and a small bathroom by spring._

## Verb

4. To trick, lie to, or cheat someone, usually for personal gain. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To trick or lie to someone, usually to get money or something else for yourself.
   - _Scammers often con older people into buying worthless insurance._
   - _A fake landlord conned her out of a two-month deposit and then vanished._
6. Alternative form of conn. To direct a ship's course by telling the person at the wheel how to steer, especially through a channel. — Alternative form of conn (“direct a ship”).
   - Simple: Alternative form of conn. To guide a ship by telling the person at the wheel how to steer.
   - _A local pilot came aboard to con the tanker past the sandbars._
   - _The first officer had to con the vessel through the strait while the captain slept._

## Verb

9. To study or examine something carefully, especially to gain knowledge of it; to learn something, or learn it by heart. *(rare)*
   - Simple: To read or look at something carefully so you can learn it or remember it.
11. To know, understand, or acknowledge something. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To know or understand something, or to admit that it is true.

## Noun

12. Consumption, the disease now known as pulmonary tuberculosis. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A serious disease of the lungs, now called tuberculosis.
   - _Her brother caught the con in the mill town and was sent to the country to recover._
   - _That winter, the lodgers whispered that the pale young man upstairs had the con._
13. A squirrel, especially the red squirrel. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A squirrel, especially a red one.
14. The nest of a squirrel. *(obsolete, Northern England)*
   - Simple: A nest made by a squirrel.

## Origin

**Meanings 9, 11** — Inherited from Middle English connen and Old English cunnan (“to know, know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan and Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, going back to Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know”). It is a doublet of can.
**Meaning 7** — A shortened form of conservative; compare lib.
**Meaning 1** — An abbreviation of Latin contra (“against”).
**Meaning 5** — A shortened form of convict.
**Meanings 2, 4** — From con trick, itself shortened from confidence trick.
**Meanings 6, 8** — From the earlier form cond; see conn.
**Meaning 3** — A shortened form of convention or conference.
**Meaning 10** — A shortened form of conversion.
**Meaning 12** — A shortened form of consumption.
**Meanings 13–14** — Of uncertain origin; perhaps a shortening of Middle English acquerne or okerne (“squirrel”), from Old English ācweorna and ultimately Proto-Germanic *aikwernô (“squirrel”), or of its Old Norse cognate íkorni. Related words include West Frisian iikhoarn, Dutch eekhoorn and German Eichhorn, all meaning “squirrel”.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/con (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).