1647. Beaumont and Fletcher, Humourous Lieutenant, iv., 1. With
some new flam or other, nothing to the matter.
1664. Butler, Hudibras, pt. II., ch. iii., p. 29. A flam more
senseless than the roguery of old aruspicey and aug’ry.
1742–4. Roger North, Lives of the Norths, ch. i., p. 368. They must
have known his Lordship better and not have ventured such flams at
him.
1760. Foote, Minor, Act II. Had the flam been fact, your behaviour
was natural enough.
1762. Foote, Liar, bk. II., ch. ii. Can’t you discern that this
flam of Sir James Elliot’s is a mere fetch to favour his retreat?
1830. Sir E. B. Lytton, Paul Clifford, p. 298 (ed. 1854). Harry ...
told you as ow it was all a flam about the child in the bundle!
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (ed. 1862), p. 325. No trick nor
flam, but your real Schiedam.
1849. C. Kingsley, Alton Locke, ch. ii. And their pockets full they
crams by their patriotic flams, And then swear ’tis for the good of
the nation.
1850. D. Jerrold, The Catspaw, Act II. Though the story of that
scoundrel Coolcard, Augustus Coolcard—and I was never before
deceived—never—is a flam—all a flam.
1870. London Figaro, 22 Sept. Is not your boasted power a flam?
1887. W. E. Henley, Villon’s Good Night. You flymy titters fond of
flam.