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sucker

n. · v.
US //ˈsəkɝ// UK //sˈʌkɐ// suck·er
  1. 1 a gullible person (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    someone who is easily tricked or fooled by others.

    a person who is easily deceived or persuaded; a gullible subject.

    Example

    He was a total sucker for that fake investment scam and lost all his savings.

    Example

    The con artist targeted the elderly, assuming they would be easy suckers for his elaborate story about a lost inheritance.
  2. 2 an enthusiast (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    someone who cannot resist a particular thing because they like it so much.

    a person who is irresistibly attracted to or has a great weakness for a specified thing.

    Example

    I am a sucker for romantic movies and always cry at the end.

    Example

    Despite his professional cynicism, he remained a sucker for traditional jazz and would spend hours browsing old record shops.
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  1. 3 suction organ or cup (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a part of an animal or a tool that uses suction to stick to a surface.

    an organ or device that creates a vacuum to adhere to a surface; common in cephalopods or as a rubber attachment.

    Example

    The octopus used its suckers to grip the glass wall of the tank.

    Example

    The industrial robot uses powerful pneumatic suckers to lift and position large sheets of glass without scratching the surface.
    • suction cup
  2. 4 a lollipop (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English Informal

    a piece of hard candy on a stick.

    a piece of hard confectionery on a stick intended to be sucked or licked.

    Example

    The bank teller gave the little boy a cherry sucker after his mother finished her business.

    Example

    The children were rewarded with colourful suckers for their good behaviour during the long car journey.
  3. 5 plant shoot (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Cooking

    a new shoot that grows from the roots or the side of a plant's main stem.

    a secondary shoot produced from the base or roots of a plant, often considered undesirable in cultivated species.

    Example

    You should prune the suckers from the base of the tomato plant so it grows better.

    Example

    The gardener spent the morning removing suckers from the rose bushes to ensure the main stems received adequate nutrients.
  4. 6 an object (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal

    a word used to refer to any object, especially a large or difficult one.

    a general, emphatic term for an object or thing, often used when the specific name is forgotten or irrelevant.

    Example

    This old car is heavy, but this sucker can really move on the highway.

    Example

    Once we get this sucker plugged in and calibrated, the whole laboratory system should be fully operational.
  5. 7 to trick (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    to trick or fool someone into doing something.

    to deceive or lure someone into a disadvantageous situation.

    Example

    They managed to sucker him into paying for the whole dinner.

    Example

    The marketing campaign was designed to sucker unsuspecting consumers into signing up for a recurring monthly subscription.
Etymology 1

From Middle English souker, sokere, sukkere, soukere, equivalent to suck (verb) + -er. Compare Saterland Frisian Suuger, West Frisian sûker (“sucker”), Dutch zuiger (“sucker”), German Sauger (“dummy; vacuum”).

Etymology 2

Possibly from German Sache (“thing”).

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