1849. C. Kingsley, Alton Locke, ch. ii. And their pockets full they crams by their patriotic flams, And then swear ’tis for the good of the nation.
1850. D. Jerrold, The Catspaw, Act II. Though the story of that scoundrel Coolcard, Augustus Coolcard—and I was never before deceived—never—is a flam—all a flam.
1870. London Figaro, 22 Sept. Is not your boasted power a flam?
1887. W. E. Henley, Villon’s Good Night. You flymy titters fond of flam.
2. (old).—A single stroke on the drum.—[Grose, 1785.]
Adj. (old).—False.
1692. Sprat, Relation of Young’s Contrivance (Harl. Misc. vi. 224). To amuse him the more in his search, she addeth a flam story that she had got his hand by corrupting one of the letter-carriers in London.
Verb (colloquial).—1. To take in; to flatter; to lie; to foist or fob off. flamming = lying. [[4]]
1658. Rowley and Ford, &c., Witch of Edm., ii., 2. Was this your cunning? and then flam me off with an old witch, two wives, and Winnifride.
1688. Shadwell, Sq. of Alsatia, II. in wks. (1720) iv. 41. Does he think to flam me with a lye?