phony English · revision 2414

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈfəʊni/ ''(UK)''; /ˈfoʊni/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is perhaps an alteration of slang ''fawney'' “a gilt brass ring used by swindlers” (1781),^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[bor|ga|fáinne|t=ring]], from Old Irish.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) In the confidence trick called the ''fawney rig'', a brass ring was sold as gold.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Not genuine, fake (1899–1900).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline quotes an 1899 American jewellers' journal on swindlers selling “phony” diamonds.^(Etymonline) The noun, “a phony person or thing”, followed in 1902,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) and the verb, “to fake”, about 1942.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) From fake objects the adjective was extended to insincere or hypocritical people.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) British English usually spells it ''phoney''.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1781 – ''fawney'', a gilt ring used by swindlers.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1899–1900 – adjective, not genuine.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1902 – noun, a fake or impostor.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * about 1942 – verb, to fake.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Not genuine; fake or counterfeit.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Untruthful or deceptive.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # Insincere or hypocritical.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something not genuine; a fake.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An insincere or pretentious person; an impostor.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To fake or falsify, often with ''up''.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[phonily]]

+ * [[phoniness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[phoney]]

+ * [[fake]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The spelling ''phoney'' is also used.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}