dog skin plaster; quack medicine; fraud
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
dog skin plaster; medicinal plaster applied on a small piece of dog skin
A traditional Chinese medicinal plaster believed to be more effective than regular plasters for treating bruises, sprains, and rheumatic pain. Originally made by applying medicinal paste to a piece of dog skin.
Grandpa's back hurts, so he put on a dog skin plaster.
This kind of dog skin plaster is very effective for treating bruises and sprains.
noun
quack medicine; fraud; deceptive goods; snake oil
informalDerived from the historical practice of wandering quacks and charlatans who sold fake 'dog skin plasters' to cheat people. Now used metaphorically to describe any fraudulent scheme, worthless product, or deceptive claim, especially those targeting the elderly or vulnerable.
Don't believe those quack medicines—they're all scams.
Most of the weight loss pills sold online are snake oil—they don't work at all.
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Everything he sells is fraudulent junk—he specifically scams old people.