Sham \Sham\, a. False; counterfeit; pretended; feigned; unreal; as, a sham fight.

They scorned the sham independence proffered to them by the Athenians. --Jowett (Thucyd)

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Sham \Sham\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shammed; p. pr. & vb. n. Shamming.]

1. To trick; to cheat; to deceive or delude with false pretenses.

Fooled and shammed into a conviction. --L'Estrange.

2. To obtrude by fraud or imposition. [R.]

We must have a care that we do not . . . sham fallacies upon the world for current reason. --L'Estrange.

3. To assume the manner and character of; to imitate; to ape; to feign.

To sham Abram or Abraham, to feign sickness; to malinger. Hence a malingerer is called, in sailors' cant, Sham Abram, or Sham Abraham.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Sham \Sham\, v. i. To make false pretenses; to deceive; to feign; to impose.

Wondering . . . whether those who lectured him were such fools as they professed to be, or were only shamming. --Macaulay.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Sham \Sham\, n. [Originally the same word as shame, hence, a disgrace, a trick. See Shame, n.]

1. That which deceives expectation; any trick, fraud, or device that deludes and disappoint; a make-believe; delusion; imposture, humbug. ``A mere sham.'' --Bp. Stillingfleet.

Believe who will the solemn sham, not I. --Addison.

2. A false front, or removable ornamental covering.

Pillow sham, a covering to be laid on a pillow.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)