chiseler
chiseler Lexical Profile
chiseler Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who cheats, swindles, or takes unfair advantage of others through petty trickery or stinginess.
"The contractor had a reputation as a chiseler who constantly cut corners and overcharged unsuspecting clients."
A worker or artisan who uses a chisel to carve, shape, or cut stone, wood, or metal.
"The master chiseler spent weeks carefully carving intricate floral reliefs into the limestone facade."
Irish A young child or youngster (used especially in Dublin dialect).
"During the holidays, the street was full of noisy chiselers playing games on the pavement."
Word Nuance & Usage
Spelled "chiseler" in American English and "chiseller" in British English. In Ireland, particularly in Dublin dialect, the term is used affectionately to mean a young child rather than a swindler.
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed from the verb "chisel" and the agentive suffix "-er." The figurative sense of a petty swindler emerged in early 20th-century American slang, from the notion of "chiseling" or chipping away small amounts of money through deceit.