sham

Word family

1 [singular]PRETEND someone or something that is not what they are claimed to be – used to show disapproval 假冒者；假装，骗局〔含贬义〕

The elections were a complete sham.

这次大选完全是一场骗局。

2 [uncountableU] literary when someone tries to make something or someone seem better than they really are 虚假行为，伪善

It all turned out to be sham and hypocrisy.

这一切原来都是虚情假意。

3. [countableC] a cover for a pillow, especially one used for decoration （装饰）枕套

Examples from the Corpus

sham• She believed Rodney's sudden change in attitude was only a sham.• The election was a sham. Officials intimidated peasants into voting for the government candidates, or simply stuffed the ballot boxes.• He was a sham and a liar.• I carry no brief for smoking, but that report was a sham.• It all turned out to be sham and hypocrisy.• The competition has been exposed as a complete sham.• It was an open secret that the marriage had become a complete sham, Watson.• Our so-called democracy is a complete sham and an insult to the electorate.• These immigrants entered into sham marriages just to stay in the country.• The shams and the profiteers would also be passed over.

sham2 adjectiveadj [only before noun]

ARTIFICIALmade to appear real in order to deceive people 假的；仿制的；伪造的；冒充的 SYN false

a sham marriage

假结婚

Examples from the Corpus

sham• Here we go, Mitchell thought, still smiling with sham crusading fellowship of the heaven-bound yet unable to speak.• The suit said Streich Lang allowed Western to engage in sham real-estate deals that recorded bogus profits.

sham3 verb (shammed, shamming) [intransitiveI, transitiveT] especially British EnglishBrE old-fashioned

PRETENDto pretend to be upset, ill etc to gain sympathy or an advantage 假装，佯装〔苦恼、生病等〕 SYN feign

She’s not ill, she’s only shamming.

她没生病，只是在装病。

Examples from the Corpus

sham• But had he really been ill or had he been shamming, crafty sick to give himself extra time in Leeds?• He put them on, and peered round the room, hunching his shoulders, shamming the old scholar.• And they delivered these fibs with such facility that it was clear that shamming to outsiders was the habit of centuries.

Origin sham

(1600-1700) Perhaps from sham “shame” ((13-17 centuries)), from shame

Chinese

Corpus