Where does the phrase fob off come from?   Fob off comes from the Middle English word fobben, most probably derived from the German foppen, which means to fool, trick or deceive. The term fob off reached its peak of popularity in the mid-1700s, but surprisingly, has made a huge comeback in the last fifty years.   However, particularly in Australia we tend to find it makes a huge comeback around the Christmas and New Year festive period, especially with your debtors.   The Merriam-Webster dictionary provides the definition of this verb as:   To put off with a trick, excuse or inferior substitute; or To pass off