humbug

   A word that appeared in the middle of the eighteenth century, from no obvious source. Applied to a person it has the meaning of ‘fraud’ or ‘impostor’. It could be used as a serious accusation, but in Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis, a husband says to his wife: ‘Why, you old humbug! Fishing for compliments when I ought to be packing your bag.’ The word is not frequently used, either in this affectionate way or as a more contemptuous term. It does occur insultingly, however, as ‘you bloody humbug’, spoken by Dotty to George, in Tom Stoppard’s play Jumpers.