/ dɪˈsiːv; NAmE / verb
1.
[ vn ] deceive sb (into doing sth) to make sb believe sth that is not true :
Her husband had been deceiving her for years.
She deceived him into handing over all his savings.
➡ note at cheat
2.
deceive yourself to refuse to admit to yourself that sth unpleasant is true :
[ vn ]
You're deceiving yourself if you think he'll change his mind.
[also vn that ]
3.
to make sb have a wrong idea about sb/sth
SYN mislead :
[ vn ]
Unless my eyes deceive me, that's his wife.
[also v ]
—see also deceptive
► de·ceiver noun
•
IDIOMS
see flatter
••
WORD FAMILY
deceive verb
deceit noun
deceitful adjective
deception noun
deceptive adjective
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French deceivre , from Latin decipere catch, ensnare, cheat.