‖ faux bonhomme
(fo bɔnɔm)
[F. faux false + bonhomme simple good-natured man.]
A sly, shifty person who assumes an open and good-natured manner.
| 1916 W. S. Maugham Writer's Notebk. (1949) 113 He looks at you benignly through gold-rimmed spectacles. The faux bon homme. 1932 Sunday Times 13 Mar. 6/2 The monster [Iago] in the guise of faux bonhomme. 1934 G. B. Shaw On Rocks i. 204 The Oxford youth... Stow all this fo bunnum business, Chavender... Sir Arthur. Oh, faux bonhomme, of course. 1958 Observer 25 May 14/1 Smiling the perpetual sweet smile of the faux-bonhomme. |