cheat

cheat
{{11}}cheat (n.) late 14c., "forfeited property," from CHEAT (Cf. cheat) (v.). Meaning "a deceptive act" is from 1640s.
{{12}}cheat (v.) mid-15c., aphetic of O.Fr. escheat, legal term for revision of property to the state when the owner dies without heirs, lit. "that which falls to one," pp. of escheoir "befall by chance, happen, devolve," from V.L. *excadere "to fall away," from L. ex- "out" + cadere "to fall" (see CASE (Cf. case) (n.1)). Also Cf. ESCHEAT (Cf. escheat). The royal officers evidently had a low reputation. Meaning evolved through "confiscate" (mid-15c.) to "deprive unfairly" (1580s). To cheat on (someone) "be sexually unfaithful" first recorded 1934. Related: Cheated; cheating.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Cheat! — Country of origin United States No. of episodes 174 Production Running time 21 22 minutes Broadcast Original channel …   Wikipedia

  • cheat — [tʆiːt] verb [intransitive, transitive] to deceive someone, break rules, or behave dishonestly, especially in order to make money for yourself: • Not all publishers want to cheat authors. • There are stiff penalties for stockbrokers who cheat… …   Financial and business terms

  • cheat — cheat·er; cheat·ery; cheat·ing·ly; cheat; es·cheat·able; es·cheat·or; re·cheat; es·cheat; cheat·ry; …   English syllables

  • cheat — n fraud, fake, deceit, deception, *imposture, counterfeit, sham, humbug Analogous words: hoaxing or hoax, bamboozling or bamboozlement (see corresponding verbs at DUPE): *deception, trickery, chicanery, chicane: charlatan, quack, mountebank,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • cheat´er — cheat «cheet», verb, noun. –v.i. to play or do business in a way that is not honest; practice deceit; act fraudulently: »He always cheats at cards if he can get away with it. –v.t. 1. to deceive or trick; swindle; defraud (of or out of): »The… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Cheat — Cheat, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cheated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Cheating}.] [See {Cheat}, n., {Escheat}.] 1. To deceive and defraud; to impose upon; to trick; to swindle. [1913 Webster] I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cheat — [n1] person who fools others bluff, charlatan, chiseler, con artist, confidence operator, conniver, cozener, crook, deceiver, decoy, defrauder, dodger, double crosser*, doubledealer*, enticer, fake, hypocrite, impostor, inveigler, jockey,… …   New thesaurus

  • cheat — [chēt] n. [ME chete < eschete: see ESCHEAT] 1. the act of deceiving or swindling; deception; fraud 2. a person who defrauds, deceives, or tricks others; swindler 3. CHESS2 vt. 1. to deal with dishonestly for one s own gain; defraud; sw …   English World dictionary

  • Cheat — Cheat, n. [rob. an abbrevation of escheat, lands or tenements that fall to a lord or to the state by forfeiture, or by the death of the tenant without heirs; the meaning being explained by the frauds, real or supposed, that were resorted to in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cheat — Cheat, v. i. To practice fraud or trickery; as, to cheat at cards. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cheat — Cheat, n. [Perh. from OF. chet[ e] goods, chattels.] Wheat, or bread made from wheat. [Obs.] Drayton. [1913 Webster] Their purest cheat, Thrice bolted, kneaded, and subdued in paste. Chapman. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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