usage: a fraudulent business practice involving some form of pyramid scheme e.g., the chain of distribution is artificially expanded by an excessive number of distributors selling to other distributors at progressively higher wholesale prices until retail prices are unnecessarily inflated
Verb
1. pyramid, profit, gain, benefit
usage: enlarge one's holdings on an exchange on a continued rise by using paper profits as margin to buy additional amounts
2. pyramid, deal, sell, trade
usage: use or deal in (as of stock or commercial transaction) in a pyramid deal
3. pyramid, arrange, set up
usage: arrange or build up as if on the base of a pyramid
4. pyramid, increase
usage: increase rapidly and progressively step by step on a broad base