What is "confidence man"

Confidence \Con"fi*dence\, n. [L. confidentia firm trust in, self-confidence: cf. F. confidence.]

1. The act of confiding, trusting, or putting faith in; trust; reliance; belief; -- formerly followed by of, now commonly by in.

   Society is built upon trust, and trust upon confidence of one another's integrity.
   --South.

   A cheerful confidence in the mercy of God.
   --Macaulay.

2. That in which faith is put or reliance had.

   The Lord shall be thy confidence.
   --Prov. iii. 26.

3. The state of mind characterized by one's reliance on himself, or his circumstances; a feeling of self-sufficiency; such assurance as leads to a feeling of security; self-reliance; -- often with self prefixed.

   Your wisdom is consumed in confidence; Do not go forth to-day.
   --Shak.

   But confidence then bore thee on secure Either to meet no danger, or to find Matter of glorious trial.
   --Milton.

4. Private conversation; (pl.) secrets shared; as, there were confidences between them.

   Sir, I desire some confidence with you.
   --Shak.

   Confidence game, any swindling operation in which advantage is taken of the confidence reposed by the victim in the swindler; several swindlers often work together to create the illusion of truth; -- also called con game.

   Confidence man, a swindler.

   To take into one's confidence, to admit to a knowledge of one's feelings, purposes, or affairs.

   Syn: Trust; assurance; expectation; hope.

   I am confident that very much be done.
   --Boyle.

   2. Trustful; without fear or suspicion; frank; unreserved.

   Be confident to speak, Northumberland; We three are but thyself.
   --Shak.

   3. Having self-reliance; bold; undaunted.

   As confident as is the falcon's flight Against a bird, do I with Mowbray fight.
   --Shak.

   4. Having an excess of assurance; bold to a fault; dogmatical; impudent; presumptuous.

   The fool rageth and is confident.
   --Prov. xiv. 16.

5. Giving occasion for confidence. [R.]

   The cause was more confident than the event was prosperous.
   --Jer. Taylor.

n. Someone who conducts a confidence game: who defrauds someone after winning his trust.

n. a swindler who exploits the confidence of his victim [syn: con man, con artist]

"Confidence Man" is the eighth episode of the first season of Lost. The episode was directed by Tucker Gates and written by Damon Lindelof. It first aired on November 10, 2004, on ABC. The character of James "Sawyer" Ford ( Josh Holloway) is featured in the episode's flashbacks. Sawyer is accused of stealing Shannon Rutherford's ( Maggie Grace) inhaler, and Sayid Jarrah ( Naveen Andrews) tortures him in an attempt to find out where it is. In the flashbacks, Sawyer's life before the crash is revealed, showing his scams as a confidence man.

The episode was intended to make Sawyer look like less of a belligerent, as he had generally acted as the antagonist in previous episodes. It also set the stage for the love triangle between Kate, Sawyer, and Jack. The episode was first broadcast in the United States on November 10, 2004, earning 18.44 million viewers. It received mostly positive reviews, although a few reviewers discussed aspects of the episode that they felt did not blend in well with the rest of the episode and series.

A confidence man is a practitioner of confidence tricks.

Confidence Man also may refer to:

• "Confidence Man" (Lost), episode of television series
• Confidence Man (album), by Matt Pryor
• The Confidence Man (film), 1924 silent film directed by Victor Heerman
• The Confidence-Man, novel by Herman Melville

Confidence Man is the first solo album by The New Amsterdams and Get Up Kids frontman Matt Pryor.