Definition
to dismiss someone with evasive answer
Examples
1) The salesman tried to fob me off with a used car, but I wasn't fooled.
2) Instead of addressing the issue, they tried to fob me off with vague
promises of future considerations.
Etymology
The term likely originates from the word "fob," which historically meant to
deceive. Over time, it evolved into the expression to give someone a false
explanation.
Synonyms
brush someone off, feed someone excuses, string someone along
- englishdaily626.com [edited]
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That's what Starbucks did in Beijing. Facing fierce local rivalries, they stayed
stuck-up as if they were the Forbidden City. Their pricy beverages turned away
the masses. Meanwhile, to cut cost, they stopped brewing regular American drip
coffee and kept fobbing customers off with the Americano, the wishy-washy
diluted espresso first rustled up back in WWII.
