I. ˈchēt verb
Etymology: cheat (II)
Date: 1590
transitive verb
1. : to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud
2. : to influence or lead by deceit, trick, or artifice
3. : to elude or thwart by or as if by outwitting
cheat death
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to practice fraud or trickery
b. : to violate rules dishonestly
cheat at cards
cheat ing on a test
2. : to be sexually unfaithful — usually used with on
was cheat ing on his wife
3. : to position oneself defensively near a particular area in anticipation of a play in that area
the shortstop was cheat ing toward second base
• cheat·er noun
Synonyms:
cheat , cozen , defraud , swindle mean to get something by dishonesty or deception. cheat suggests using trickery that escapes observation
cheated me out of a dollar
cozen implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose
always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars
defraud stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth
defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer
swindle implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence
swindled of their savings by con artists
II. noun
Etymology: earlier cheat forfeited property, from Middle English chet escheat, short for eschete — more at escheat
Date: 1615
1. : the act or an instance of fraudulently deceiving : deception , fraud
2. : one that cheats : pretender , deceiver
3.
[probably from a deceptive resemblance to grain]
a. : chess 1
b. : cheatgrass
4. : the obtaining of property from another by an intentional active distortion of the truth