# sham Abraham

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sham-abraham
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To pretend sickness or insanity.

## Examples

- He is just shamming Abraham to avoid his chores.
- The soldier tried to sham Abraham to escape the dangerous mission, but the doctor saw through the act.
- Fearing the harsh consequences of his crimes, the prisoner began to sham Abraham in hopes of being transferred to a medical facility.

## Origin

First use appears c. 1752. From sham + Abraham man (“a beggar who pretends to be ill”)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.