adjective
South AfricanNot genuine; counterfeit.
- ‘boys learn to tell the difference between genuine and schlenter diamonds’
noun
South African1A fake diamond.
- 1.1An illegal or dishonest scheme.
- ‘A rumour spread that the fight was a ‘schlenter’, a setup, with McGoorty backing Darcy to win.’
plot, intrigue, conspiracy, secret plan - 1.2A confidence trickster.
- 1.1An illegal or dishonest scheme.
verb
[with object] informal South AfricanAchieve or acquire by underhand means.
- ‘I can always manage to schlenter a car’
get, acquire, come by, secure, procure, come into possession of, pick up, be given
Origin
From Dutch and Afrikaans slenter ‘trick’. The sch- probably reflects Yiddish influence in the 19th century in diamond mining.
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