conning

Verb (1)

con (third-person singular simple present cons, present participle conning, simple past and past participle conned)

1. (rare) To study or examine carefully, especially in order to gain knowledge of; to learn, or learn by heart.
   • For Caſſius is a-weary of the World: / Hated by one he loues, brau'd by his Brother, / Check'd like a bondman, all his faults obſeru'd, / Set in a Note-booke, learn'd, and con'd by roate / To caſt into my Teeth.1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
2. (obsolete, rare) To know; understand; acknowledge.
   • Of Muses Hobbinol, I conne no skill1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC

Verb (2)

con (third-person singular simple present cons, present participle conning, simple past and past participle conned)

1. (informal, transitive) To trick, lie or defraud, usually for personal gain.
   • Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals [title]2017 July 17, Martin Lukacs, “Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 22 Apr 2022

   Synonyms:

   be sold a pup, abuse, beglammer, counterfeit, deceive, catch, trap into, dissemble, dissimulate, feign

See all 14 meanings of con

Verb

conn (third-person singular simple present conns, present participle conning, simple past and past participle conned)

1. (transitive) To direct a ship; to superintend the steering of (a vessel); to watch the course of (a vessel) and direct the helmsman how to steer (especially through a channel, etc, rather than steer a compass direction).
   • The pilot conned the ship safely into the harbor.

See all 2 meanings of conn