Words / C1

di-FRORD/dɪˈfrɔːd/

To defraud is to get money or an advantage by deceiving someone: defraud the board, defraud a file. Fraud (already in the dictionary) is the noun; inventing an n is still a methods fail, not a courtesy.

Meaning

To get money or an advantage from someone by deceiving them (from fraud, already in the dictionary).

Examples

• “To invent an n is to defraud the methods file; a crest will not tidy the cell.”
• “Cheat is everyday. Swindle is the close twin. A crest is branding. A cell is a count. Put the raw number in; then hang the crest if the abstract still matches the file.”

Good to know

Cheat someone of money or an advantage. Noun: fraud (already in the dictionary). A crest ≠ a true n.

Near in meaning

cheat, swindle, fleece

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