snake oil salesman
a person who sells worthless products
TRANSLATION
snake oil salesman = Scharlatan, Quacksalber --- GOOGLE INDEX snake oil salesman: approximately 3,000,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Ms. O’Donnell called Mr. Trump a SNAKE OIL SALESMAN and suggested he would probably sue her, but that “he’ll probably be bankrupt by that time so I won’t have to worry.”
(New York Times)
---
There are lots of SNAKE OIL SALESMEN out there in search engine optimization, social media and all industries.
(Search Engine Journal)
(New York Times)
---
There are lots of SNAKE OIL SALESMEN out there in search engine optimization, social media and all industries.
(Search Engine Journal)
Did you
know?
snake oil salesman
idiom
- someone who deceives people in order to get money from them
(Cambridge Dictionaries Online)
---
In late 19th century America, the travelling salesman became a cultural figure. Using charm and showmanship, he went to small, rural towns to sell wonder cures in public places. These so-called “cure alls” were typically fraudulent, but most customers failed to discover this until after the salesman had already left town in a hurry.
One of the questionable products normally associated with these travelling salesmen was snake oil, which was not from a snake, but oil extracted from the rattlesnake root, a plant so named because it resembles a snake’s rattle. Native Americans apparently believed this oil could be used to fight off rattlesnakes and applied as an antidote to rattlesnake venom.
By the 20th century the snake oil salesman had vanished into folklore, but the figure lived on in stage shows, plays and movies. It wasn’t long before the phrase was commonly used to refer to someone who sells products of questionable value or quality and in general for a person who cannot be trusted.
---
SYNONYMS
charlatan, fraud, pretender, imposter, con artist, phony, rip-off artist, quack, mountebank
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"He makes me feel like I’m negotiating with a snake oil salesman."
---
Thanks to Raimund for suggesting today's word!
idiom
- someone who deceives people in order to get money from them
(Cambridge Dictionaries Online)
---
In late 19th century America, the travelling salesman became a cultural figure. Using charm and showmanship, he went to small, rural towns to sell wonder cures in public places. These so-called “cure alls” were typically fraudulent, but most customers failed to discover this until after the salesman had already left town in a hurry.
One of the questionable products normally associated with these travelling salesmen was snake oil, which was not from a snake, but oil extracted from the rattlesnake root, a plant so named because it resembles a snake’s rattle. Native Americans apparently believed this oil could be used to fight off rattlesnakes and applied as an antidote to rattlesnake venom.
By the 20th century the snake oil salesman had vanished into folklore, but the figure lived on in stage shows, plays and movies. It wasn’t long before the phrase was commonly used to refer to someone who sells products of questionable value or quality and in general for a person who cannot be trusted.
---
SYNONYMS
charlatan, fraud, pretender, imposter, con artist, phony, rip-off artist, quack, mountebank
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"He makes me feel like I’m negotiating with a snake oil salesman."
---
Thanks to Raimund for suggesting today's word!
