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pawn off

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pawn someone or something off

(on someone) (as someone or something) Go to palm someone or something off (on someone) (as someone or something).

See also: off, pawn

pawn off

Dispose of by deception, as in They tried to pawn off a rebuilt computer as new. This expression may have originated as a corruption of palm off, although it was also put as pawn upon in the 1700s, when it originated.

See also: off, pawn

pawn off

v.

To get rid of or dispose of something deceptively by misrepresenting its true value: The clerk tried to pawn off the fake gemstone as a diamond. They almost pawned the counterfeit bills off on unsuspecting tourists.

See also: off, pawn