hoodwink
UK: ˈhʊd.wɪŋk | US: ˈhʊd.wɪŋk
vt. to deceive or trick someone
vt. to blindfold or obscure vision (archaic)
The word "hoodwink" originated in the 16th century, combining "hood" (referring to a covering, like a hood over the head) and "wink" (originally meaning to close one's eyes). The literal sense was "to blindfold by covering the eyes," evolving metaphorically to mean "to deceive or mislead." The logic is clear: just as a hood obscures vision, deception obscures the truth.
The salesman tried to hoodwink me into buying a faulty product.
In medieval times, criminals were often hoodwinked before execution.
Don’t let them hoodwink you with false promises.
The magician hoodwinked the audience with his clever illusions.
She realized too late that she’d been hoodwinked by the scam.