To deceive; to impose; to cajole; to hoax.

(hum·bug) NOUN: 1.) Something intended to deceive; a hoax or fraud. 2.) A person who claims to be other than what he or she is; an impostor. 3.) Nonsense; rubbish. 4.) Pretense; deception.

communication (writen or spoken) intended to deceive

something intended to deceive; deliberate trickery intended to gain an advantage

trick or deceive

A hoax or sham; interjection meaning "nonsense"; slang for "to deceive or cheat"

Humbug is an archaic term meaning "hoax", or "jest". While the term was first attested in 1751 in student slang, its etymology is unknown. It is known, however, that it was used as profanity centuries ago, in places such as Great Britain.

Humbugs are hard candies available in the United Kingdom. They are usually flavored with peppermint and striped in two different colors (often black and white). Humbugs are typically cylinders with rounded ends wrapped in a twist of cellophane, or else pinched cylinders with a 90-degree turn between one end and the other (shaped like a pyramid with rounded edges), loose in a bag.

"Humbug" was the twentieth episode of the second season of The X-Files science-fiction television series created by Chris Carter. It was also designed to be the very first comedy episode in the series, and employs black humour throughout the episode.