/ feɪk; NAmE / adjective , noun , verb
■ adjective
1.
( disapproving ) not genuine; appearing to be sth it is not
SYN counterfeit :
fake designer clothing
a fake American accent
2.
made to look like sth else
SYN imitation :
a jacket in fake fur
Don't go out in the sun—get a fake tan from a bottle.
➡ note at artificial
■ noun
1.
an object such as a work of art, a coin or a piece of jewellery that is not genuine but has been made to look as if it is :
All the paintings proved to be fakes.
2.
a person who pretends to be what they are not in order to cheat people
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] to make sth false appear to be genuine, especially in order to cheat sb :
She faked her mother's signature on the document.
He arranged the accident in order to fake his own death.
2.
to pretend to have a particular feeling, illness, etc. :
[ vn ]
She's not really sick—she's just faking it .
He faked a yawn.
[also v ]
► faker noun
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 18th cent. (originally slang): origin uncertain; perhaps ultimately related to German fegen sweep, thrash.