Definition of "thimblerig" in English

noun

1. A game of skill which requires the bettor to guess under which of three small cups (or thimbles) a pea-sized object has been placed after the party operating the game rapidly rearranges them, providing opportunity for sleight-of-hand trickery; a shell game.

2. One operating such a game.

verb

1. (intransitive) To cheat in the thimblerig game.

2. (ambitransitive, figuratively) To cheat (someone) by trickery.