Deceptive tricks or dishonest behavior; trickery or fraud.
From 'fig' (to trick or deceive) with the suffix '-ery' meaning practices or behaviors. The verb 'fig' comes from Old French 'figue,' originally referring to making something appear better than it is, like dressing up a horse for sale.
Medieval horse traders would 'fig' horses by putting ginger in certain places to make them appear more lively—hence the word became synonymous with fraud. This colorful deception practice literally created the word for all trickery!
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