I. fake 1 /feɪk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . a copy of a valuable object, painting etc that is intended to deceive people OPP original :
The painting was judged a fake.
Jones can spot a fake from 20 feet away.
2 . someone who is not what they claim to be or does not have the skills they say they have:
Her psychologist turned out to be a fake.
II. fake 2 BrE AmE adjective [usually before noun]
1 . made to look like a real material or object in order to deceive people OPP genuine :
fake fur
a fake ID card
a fake 20 dollar bill
2 . not real and seeming to be something it is not, in order to deceive people SYN false :
I gave a fake name.
She was speaking with a fake German accent.
a fake smile of friendliness
III. fake 3 BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: Probably from German fegen 'to sweep, polish' ]
1 . [transitive] to make something seem real in order to deceive people:
She faked her father’s signature on the cheque.
The insurance company suspected that he had faked his own death.
The results of the experiments were faked.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] to pretend to be ill, interested etc when you are not:
I thought he was really hurt but he was faking it.
3 . [intransitive and transitive] to pretend to move in one direction, but then move in another, especially when playing sport:
He faked a pass.
fake somebody ↔ out phrasal verb American English
to deceive someone by making them think you are planning to do something when you are really planning to do something else