Yankee
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
to cheat, trick or swindle somebody; to misrepresent something
Register: dated, offensive, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Kentuckians reportedly regarded a Yankee “as a sort of Jesuit” because of his religious zeal, while in Illinois the term yankeed was synonymous with cheated.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “Yankee” mean?
to cheat, trick or swindle somebody; to misrepresent something
Is “Yankee” formal or informal?
Yankee is generally dated, offensive, slang.