Palm off

Definitions

• deceive or pass off something as genuine
  To trick or deceive someone by passing off an inferior or unwanted item as something valuable or desirable

• get rid of something unwanted
  To dispose of something unwanted by giving it to someone else, often by deceit or trickery

Examples of Palm off

• "My friend tried to palm off an old book to me as a new one, claiming it had just been published."

  This idiom means to try to sell or present something as new or better than it actually is. In this example, the friend is trying to make the recipient believe that the book is new when in fact it is old.

• "I was palm off with a subpar meal at the restaurant, despite the high price."

  This idiom means to receive something of lower quality or value than what was expected or paid for. In this example, the recipient is unhappy with the meal, even though it was expensive.

• "The salesman palm off fake products on unsuspecting customers, exploiting their ignorance."

  This idiom means to deceive or mislead someone, usually for personal gain. In this example, the salesman is selling fake products to customers who are not fully aware of what they are purchasing.

• "I'm tired of my coworkers palming off their responsibilities onto me, expecting me to do their work too."

  This idiom means to transfer or assign a responsibility to someone else, often without their consent or input. In this example, the recipient is frustrated with colleagues who keep giving them additional tasks to do.

• The salesman tried to palm off the defective product as new.

  This idiom means to try to deceive someone by passing off something as better or more valuable than it really is. In this example, the salesman is attempting to make the customer believe that a product with clear flaws is actually brand new.

• My older brother used to palm off his chores on me all the time.

  In this case, "palm off" means to transfer something unwanted onto another person, often as a way of avoiding responsibility. Here, the speaker's brother would frequently pass on his own tasks to his sibling in order to avoid doing them himself.

• The politician tried to palm off his mistakes as the fault of his advisors.

  Again, "palm off" implies hiding something less favorable in order to portray a more favorable scenario. This example shows the politician attempting to distance himself from his own missteps by falsely accusing his team of being the actual culprits.

• The chef initially tried to palm off the overcooked food as authentic, but soon realized it was not a good idea.

  Here, "palm off" refers to an attempt to disguise something unappealing or undesirable as something more desirable. In this example, the cook originally attempted to convince his guests that burnt or dry dishes were intentionally prepared in a traditional style, but ultimately renounced this deception.

Conclusion

The idiom "palm off" can be used to describe the act of deceiving someone by passing off something as genuine, or to get rid of something unwanted by giving it to someone else through trickery. It is often used in situations where someone is trying to offload something undesirable onto another person without their knowledge or consent.

Origin of "Palm off"

The origin of the idiom "palm off" comes from the act of sleight of hand, where a magician might palm a coin or other object to deceive the audience. This idea of deception and trickery has been applied to the idiom, which is used to describe the act of passing off something as genuine. The term "palm off" has been used in this context since the 19th century, and its origins can be traced back to the world of magic and illusion. Examples of the idiom can be found in literature and everyday speech, illustrating its enduring presence in the English language.