ごまかす - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

(Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

First recorded in the Edo period.

According to one theory, formed from 護摩 (goma, “a holy fire in esoteric Buddhism”) + verbalizing suffix かす (kasu), from a common fraud perpetrated in the Edo period of dressing as a monk and selling regular ash purported to be ash from such holy fires.

Alternatively, from 胡麻菓子 (goma kashi, “sesame candy”), from a particular sesame candy in the Edo period called 胡麻胴乱 (goma dōran) and notable for being a mostly empty shell.

The kanji spellings are examples of ateji. The more common spelling is in hiragana, as ごまかす.

• (Tokyo) ごまかす [gòmákáꜜsù] (Nakadaka – [3])^[1][2]
• IPA^(key): [ɡo̞ma̠ka̠sɨ]

ごまかす • (gomakasu) transitive godan (stem ごまかし (gomakashi), past ごまかした (gomakashita))

1. to cheat or deceive
2. to lie
3. to evade a question or deflect attention; to gloss over a mistake; to fudge; to bullshit
4. to embezzle
5. to defraud or swindle