bluff

It is very difficult to fool someone who is experienced in the ways of fooling other people. I know Bill thinks he can keep up with these star poker players, but you can't bluff a bluffer—they'll see through him for sure!

to get out of a difficult situation by deception or cunning. I will try to bluff my way out of this mess.

to mislead or deceive someone into doing something. Are you trying to bluff me into giving up without a fight? I won't be bluffed into revealing the whereabouts of the safe.

to get something away from someone through deception. We bluffed her out of her share of the pie. I bluffed Liz out of her rightful turn to drive.

to demand that someone prove a claim or is not being deceptive. All right, I'll call your bluff. Show me you can do it! Tom said, "You've made me really angry, and I'll punch you if you come any closer!" "Go ahead," said Bill, calling his bluff.

to make someone do what they said they will do He said he would help, and now his opponents have called his bluff and asked him to provide the funds.

to deceive others to get what you want Some teens used false IDs to bluff their way into casinos.

to make someone prove that what they are saying is true, or to make someone prove that they will really do what they say they will do, because you do not believe them Alice called his bluff and dared him to tell everyone what he knew about her.

Expose someone's deception, invite a showdown, as in I don't believe they have enough capital; I'm going to call their bluff. This term comes from poker, where bluffing (pretending) that one has better cards than one's opponents is an intrinsic part of the game, and calling someone's bluff means forcing them to show their cards. By the late 1800s it was being applied to other enterprises. Also see show one's hand.

To deceive someone or accomplish something by making a false display.

To demand proof for or respond in a challenging way to the claims or threats of another that one presumes to be false.