Word: hoodwink (verb)

Associations

The word "hoodwink" means to trick or deceive someone, usually by hiding the truth or confusing them. It often suggests that the person being tricked does not realize what is happening at first.

• Example 1: The salesman tried to hoodwink the customer into buying a broken car. (Here, "hoodwink" means to trick the customer.)
• Example 2: She felt hoodwinked when she found out the deal was a scam. (She was deceived.)
• Example 3: Politicians sometimes hoodwink voters with false promises. (They trick voters.)

A well-known synonym is "deceive." The difference is that "hoodwink" often implies some clever trick or hiding the truth, while "deceive" is a more general word for lying or misleading.

Substitution

Other words or phrases you can use instead of "hoodwink":

• Trick: This is more common and simple. "Trick" can be playful or serious.
• Deceive: More formal or serious than "hoodwink."
• Fool: Suggests making someone look silly or naive.
• Mislead: Focuses on guiding someone to wrong ideas without direct lying.

Using these changes the tone slightly. For example, "hoodwink" sounds a bit old-fashioned or clever, while "trick" is more everyday.

Deconstruction

The word "hoodwink" comes from old English words:

• "hood" means a covering for the head.
• "wink" means to close one eye quickly.

Originally, "hoodwink" meant to cover someone's eyes with a hood or blindfold, so they could not see what was happening. Over time, it came to mean tricking someone by hiding the truth, like "blinding" them to the facts.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when someone tried to hoodwink you or someone you know?
• How is hoodwinking different from just making a mistake?
• Why do you think people use tricks or deception instead of telling the truth?
• How would you feel if you realized someone hoodwinked you?