grift

The story

1. Middle Dutch · derived fromgraft“digging, ditch, canal, trench”
2. English todaygrift

American criminal underworld slang, 1906 (noun), 1915 (verb), alteration of graft (“corruption, illicit profit through corrupt means, bribe, one's occupation”), alteration perhaps influenced by similar sounding words, e.g. drift, etc., probably ultimately from Middle Dutch graft (“digging, ditch, canal, trench”) (modern Dutch gracht), related to Dutch graven (“to dig”), English grave (“to dig”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 1906 A confidence game or swindle.
• from early 20th c. To obtain illegally, as by con game.
• from early 20th c. To obtain money illegally.