I. ˈfȯls also -lts adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English fals, faus, from Old French & Latin; Old French fals, faus, from Latin falsus, past participle of fallere to deceive — more at fail
1.
a. : not corresponding to truth or reality : not true : erroneous , incorrect
his assumption that this is the only possible interpretation is demonstrably false — M.R.Cohen
b. : intentionally untrue : lying
false claims are frequently made of automobile ownership — S.L.Payne
the false testimony of suborned witnesses
2.
a. : speaking falsehood : not truthful : dishonest , deceitful
slanders of her false accusers — Shakespeare
especially heavy consequences for people … attracted to unworthy, false , and callous persons — H.E.Salisbury
b.
(1) : made or tampered with to deceive
false scales
false dice
false bottom of a glass
(2) archaic : tending to distort : defective
tears are false spectacles — John Donne
(3) : inaccurate in pitch : out of tune
c. : tending to mislead : deceptive , illusory
the false warmth of the January thaw — Louis Bromfield
3. : not faithful or loyal (as to obligations, allegiance, or vows) : treacherous , perfidious
a false friend
a false lover
4.
a.
(1) : being other than what is purported or apparent : assumed or designed to deceive : not genuine or real : counterfeit , artificial , sham , forged, specious
false tears
false modesty
privateersmen sailing under false colors
false deeds of ownership
the false glamour of war
listening to false prophets
(2) : artificially made or assumed
a set of false teeth
buying false hair from impoverished country girls — Lois Long
b. : blank 5b
a false door
a false window
c. : of a kind related to, resembling, or having properties similar to another species that commonly bears the unqualified vernacular — used in plant names
false oats
a false pea
d.
(1) : not essential or permanent — used of parts of a structure that are temporary or supplemental
false siding
false pillar
false roof
(2) : fastened to or fitting over a main part to strengthen it, to protect it or anything that comes in contact with it, or to disguise its appearance
false deck
false jaw of a chuck or vise
false post
e. : formed through unawareness or misunderstanding of the etymology
pea is a false singular formed from the real singular pease
f. : voided 2
g. : lacking realism, naturalness, or authenticity : failing to produce an effect of artistic rightness or inevitability : appearing forced, strained, or incongruous : artificial , unconvincing
there are only two seriously false scenes … and they occur toward the end — V.S.Pritchett
a vocabulary affected and often … ludicrously false — Gilbert Highet
5.
a. : not based on facts or correct premises : not well founded : imprudent , unwise , incorrect
our time is for the most part spent in hesitation, false starts, and painful retracing of our steps — M.R.Cohen
make a false turn in his canoe — American Guide Series: Louisiana
practice false economy
this marriage is false — George Meredith
a sense of false security
b. : appearing inconsistent with one's true character or intentions : compromising, awkward
by accepting the support of such dubious elements he put himself in an extremely false position
6. dialect England : sharp , clever
it's a false child that knows its own father
Synonyms: see faithless
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English falsen, fausen, from Old French falser, fausser, from Late Latin falsare, from Latin falsus
obsolete : feign
III. adverb
Etymology: Middle English false, fals, from fals, faus, adjective
1. archaic : erringly , incorrectly , wrongly
2. : faithlessly , treacherously — usually used with play
his wife played him false