con

Etymology 1

From Middle English connen, from Old English cunnan (“to know, know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence know). Doublet of can.

verb

1. (rare) To study or examine carefully, especially in order to gain knowledge of; to learn, or learn by heart.
   I did not come into parliament to con my lesson. I had earned my pension before I set my foot in St. Stephen's chapel. 1795, Edmund Burke, Letter to a Noble Lord on the Attacks Made upon him and his Pension, in the House of Lords, by the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of Lauderdale, Early in the Present Session of Parliament
   The hawk rested on a crag of the gorge and conned the terrain with a fierce and frowning eye. 1963, D'Arcy Niland, Dadda jumped over two elephants: short stories
2. (rare, obsolete) To know; understand; acknowledge.

Etymology 2

Abbreviation of Latin contra (“against”).

noun

1. A disadvantage of something, especially when contrasted with its advantages (pros).
   pros and cons

Etymology 3

Clipping of convict.

noun

1. (slang) A convicted criminal, a convict.

Etymology 4

From con trick, shortened from confidence trick.

noun

1. (informal) A fraud; something carried out with the intention of deceiving, usually for personal, often illegal, gain.
   Leavers will be attracted to that story because it spares them the discomfort of admitting that they voted for a con, and then made a prime minister of the con artist. 2021-02-23, Rafael Behr, “Brexit is a machine to generate perpetual grievance. It's doing its job perfectly”, in The Guardian

verb

1. (transitive, informal) To trick or defraud, usually for personal gain.
   Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals [title] 2017-07-17, Martin Lukacs, “Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals”, in The Guardian

Etymology 5

From earlier cond; see conn.

verb

1. Alternative form of conn (“direct a ship”)

noun

1. Alternative form of conn (“navigational direction of a ship”)

Etymology 6

Clipping of convention or conference.

noun

1. (informal) An organized gathering, such as a convention, conference, or congress.
   I can't speak for Faye as ed of FHAPA, but it would be really swell of someone could send us a set of Intersection daily newszines, plus any con flyers or other fannish papers that were there to had for the picking up: fannish things, you know, not including media, gaming, filking or costuming, fine fun but not my cup of blog, thank you. September 04 1995, Lindsay Crawford, “Re: Intersection”, in rec.arts.sf.fandom (Usenet), message-ID <9509042250393785@emerald.com>

Etymology 7

Clipping of conversion.

noun

1. (informal) The conversion of part of a building.
   We're getting a loft con done next year.

Etymology 8

Clipping of consumption.

noun

1. (informal, obsolete) Consumption; pulmonary tuberculosis.

Etymology 9

Origin uncertain. Perhaps a clipping of Middle English acquerne, aquerne, ocquerne, okerne (“squirrel”), from Old English ācweorna, āqueorna, āquorna, ācurna (“squirrel”), from Proto-West Germanic *aikwernō, from Proto-Germanic *aikwernô (“squirrel”); or from its Old Norse cognate íkorni (“squirrel”), from the same ultimate source. Cognate with West Frisian iikhoarn (“squirrel”), Dutch eekhoorn (“squirrel”), German Eichhorn (“squirrel”), Icelandic íkorni (“squirrel”).

noun

1. (zoology, dialectal or obsolete) Squirrel, particularly the red squirrel.
2. (Northern England, obsolete) A squirrel's nest.

Etymology 10

Clipping of conservative; compare lib.

noun

1. (abbreviation) A political conservative.
   own the cons