sell someone a bill of goods

sell someone a bill of goods

1. (idiomatic) To deceive or cheat someone.
   • 1953 June 16, "McCarran Raps Ike Speech at Dartmouth," Rome News-Tribune (US), p. 3 (retrieved 21 June 2009):

     "He showed no knowledge of his subject," McCarran told newsmen. ". . . Someone must have sold him a bill of goods."

   • 2004 Feb. 9, John Cassidy, "Blame Game: Intelligence Services and the Iraq War," New Yorker:

     Bill O'Reilly, of the Fox News Channel, has called on the President to admit that the CIA sold him a bill of goods and to fire the agency's director.

• misinform