də̇ˈsēv, dēˈ- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English deceiven, from Old French deceivre, decevoir, from Latin decipere to ensnare, deceive, cheat, from de down, away + -cipere (from capere to take) — more at de- , heave
transitive verb
1. archaic : to take unawares especially by craft or trickery : ensnare , mislead
he it was whose guile … deceived the mother of mankind — John Milton
2.
a. obsolete : to be false to : betray
you have deceived our trust — Shakespeare
b. archaic : to disappoint (as an expectation)
nor are my hopes deceived — John Dryden
3. obsolete : to deprive especially by fraud or stealth : cheat , defraud
deceived me of a good sum of money — William Oldys
4. : to cause to believe the false : delude
when we're young we can be very easily deceived — George Meredith
5. archaic : to while away (as time, care, or sorrow) : beguile
these occupations oftentimes deceived the listless hour — William Wordsworth
intransitive verb
: to practice deceit : be deceitful
his stunning technique that baffles and deceives — Eva M. Neumeyer
Synonyms:
mislead , delude , beguile , betray , double-cross : deceive indicates an inculcating of one so that he takes the false as true, the unreal as existent, the spurious as genuine
it is a pity to make him the dupe of his more intelligent partner. If he is deceived, he has a way of getting his revenge — S.M.Crothers
disguised Communists trying to deceive the ignorant natives — Americas
mislead indicates a causing to fall into error of some sort, intentionally or not
I think it was Thrasyllus who tricked her into believing that she was meant. Thrasyllus never told lies but he loved misleading people — Robert Graves
to mislead spies, Love and his squad pretended they were on their way to Los Angeles, but at night doubled back to the arroyo, where they surprised Murrieta and his gang — American Guide Series: California
delude implies a complete misleading or deceiving so that one remains a fool, dupe, or victim
did he, did all the people who said they didn't mind things, know that they really did? Or were they indeed deluded? — Rose Macaulay
scientists do little to discourage this view, and, indeed, many of them are quite as deluded as most laymen are about the subject — M.F.A.Montagu
beguile indicates deceiving or deluding one by subtle allure and wiling one into abandoning doubts or defenses
marshlights to beguile mankind from tangible goods and immediate fruitions — Lewis Mumford
the unique power by which Shakespeare compels ‘faith in the emotions expressed’ and beguiles Bradley and company into their absurdities — F.R.Leavis
betray indicates treacherously or deceitfully leading into enemy hands or into danger or difficulty
the fact that he had betrayed his daughter into an ugly position gnawed at his consciousness — Sherwood Anderson
double-cross applies to deceiving or betraying a friend, partner, or accomplice
De Valera charged that his own trusted negotiators had double-crossed him by signing an agreement to take the detested oath of loyalty to the British king without consulting him — Paul Blanshard
they double-crossed the Pasha of Marrakesh, and ordered him to call off the revolt they had inspired — New Statesman & Nation