1861. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, ch. xliii. She was always ready to help him, provided, as she told him, ‘he didn’t humbug.’
Hence Humbugging = hoaxing, swindling, or Humbugable = gullible. Humbuggery = deception; imposture. Humbugger = a cheat, a hoaxer.
d. 1763. Henry Brooke, Poems (1778), ‘On Humbugging.’ (Chalmers, English Poets, 1810, xvii., 428). Of all trades or arts in repute or possession humbugging is held the most ancient profession. Idem. To you, … the humbuggers of hearts.
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xviii. The species of wit which has been long a favourite in the city, under the names of cross-biting, giving the dor, bamboozling, cramming, hoaxing, humbugging, and quizzing.
1825. Southey, Letters, iii., 488 [ed. Warter, 1856]. My charity does not extend so far as to believe that any reasonable man (humbuggable as the animal is) can have been so humbugged.
1826. The Fancy, ii., 29. A contemporary writer of eminence some years ago termed such exhibitions humbugging.
1840. Thackeray, Paris Sketch Book, p. 31. Do you not laugh, O Pharos of Bungay, at the continuance of a humbug such as this?—at the humbugging anniversary of a humbug?
1852. Judson, Myst., etc., of New York, ch. iv. Oh, blast your humbuggery—talk plain English to me.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. v. When the old lady was gone, Mr. Hobson had no need of any more humbugging, but took his pleasure freely.
1883. Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi, ch. xl., p. 369. Traces of its inflated language and other windy humbuggeries survive along with it.