🗓️ Idiom: Snake Oil Salesman (n)
💬 Meaning
- A person who sells or promotes something that is fake, useless, or dishonest
- Someone who makes big promises but cannot deliver results
🧠 Example Sentences
- The product sounded amazing, but the man selling it turned out to be a snake oil salesman.
- Be careful of snake oil salesmen online who claim their tool will solve all your business problems.
- That software looked impressive, but it was promoted by a snake oil salesman with no real proof.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom comes from the 1800s in the United States. Traveling salesmen claimed that “snake oil” could cure many health problems, but the products were often fake. Today, the phrase is used for anyone selling false or exaggerated solutions.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
We thought the consultant had the answer, but in the end, he was just a ________.
Answer
snake oil salesman
2. Choose the correct meaning:
What does “snake oil salesman” mean?
a) Someone who sells natural medicine
b) Someone who promotes fake or dishonest solutions
c) Someone who works hard to sell good products
Answer
b) Someone who promotes fake or dishonest solutions
3. Change the sentence using “snake oil salesman”:
“The salesperson promised great results, but none of the claims were true.”
Answer
The salesperson was a snake oil salesman.
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