Street
grift
What does grift mean?
A grift is a con or swindle, and 'the grift' collectively refers to the con artist's trade. As a verb, to grift is to cheat someone out of money by trickery.
"He'd been on the grift so long he couldn't tell a straight deal from a hustle."
Origin
American underworld slang, early 20th century; related to 'graft.'
Frequently asked questions
What does 'grift' mean?
A grift is a con or swindle. As a verb, to grift means to cheat someone out of money through trickery, and 'the grift' refers to the con artist's whole trade.
What does 'on the grift' mean?
To be 'on the grift' means to be actively making a living by running cons and swindles.
Where does 'grift' come from?
It is American underworld slang from the early 20th century, related to the word 'graft.'
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