Put One Over for Dummies

Put One Over: The phrase "put one over" is a commonly used expression that means to deceive or trick someone in a clever or cunning way. It often involves manipulating a situation or giving someone false information to gain an advantage or achieve a personal goal. Imagine if you were playing a board game with your friends and you secretly moved your game piece ahead a few spaces without anyone noticing. You would be putting one over on your friends because you would have gained an advantage in the game without them realizing it.

But deceiving someone doesn't always have to be about games or tricking others. It can also involve telling lies or hiding the truth to mislead someone. Think about a time when you were trying to get out of doing your homework. Perhaps you told your teacher that you accidentally left it at home when you actually didn't do it. In this case, you would be putting one over on your teacher because you made them believe something that wasn't true.

To give you another example, imagine you have a sibling who loves eating all the cookies in the cookie jar. One day, you decide to hide your favorite cookies at the back of the jar, behind the less tasty ones. By doing this, you're putting one over on your sibling because they are less likely to find and eat your special cookies.

So, in simpler terms, "put one over" means tricking or deceiving someone cleverly and cunningly, often by manipulating a situation or providing false information. It's like outsmarting someone in a sneaky way, just like the examples I shared.