–n.
1. a swindling game in which the operator apparently covers a small ball or pea with one of three thimblelike cups, and then, moving the cups about, offers to bet that no one can tell under which cup the ball or pea lies.
2. a) a person who cheats by this game. b) Figurative. a deft swindler.
–v.t.
1. to cheat by the thimblerig.
2. Figurative. to swindle deftly.
╂[< thimble + rig3]
–thim´ble|rig´ger, noun.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.