bamboozle

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The Word of the Day for December 17 is: 

bamboozle   \bam-BOO-zul\   verb
    *1 : to deceive by underhanded methods : dupe, hoodwink 
     2 : to confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or 
completely

Example sentence:
     Tommy bamboozled his parents into believing he was too 
sick to go to school.

Did you know?
     In 1710, Irish author Jonathan Swift wrote an article 
on "the continual Corruption of our English Tongue" in which he 
complained of "the Choice of certain Words invented by some 
pretty Fellows." Among the inventions Swift disliked 
were "bamboozle," "bubble" (a dupe), "put" (a fool), 
and "sham." (Perhaps he objected to the use of "sham" as a 
verb; he himself had used the adjective meaning "false" a 
couple of years previously.) What all these words appear to 
have in common is a connection to the underworld as jargon of 
criminals. Other than that, the origin of "bamboozle" remains a 
mystery, but the over-300-year-old word has clearly defied 
Swift's assertion that "All new affected Modes of Speech ... 
are the first perishing Parts in any Language." 

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.