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cheat definition

cheat (c̸hēt)

noun

  1. the act of deceiving or swindling; deception; fraud
  2. a person who defrauds, deceives, or tricks others; swindler
  3. chess

Etymology: ME chete < eschete: see escheat

transitive verb

  1. to deal with dishonestly for one's own gain; defraud; swindle
  2. to deceive by trickery; fool; mislead
  3. to foil or escape by tricks or by good luck to cheat death
  4. to deprive of or destroy the effect of through error or ignorance using the wrong word cheated him of his legacy

intransitive verb

  1. to practice fraud or deception
  2. to behave dishonestly, as at games or on an examination
  3. ☆ Informal to be sexually unfaithful: often with on

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cheat Synonyms

cheat

n.

  1. One who cheats

    rogue, cheater, swindler, fraud, quack, charlatan, conniver, confidence man, scammer, chiseler, impostor, masquerader, fake, bluff, deceiver, inveigler, hypocrite, double-dealer, trickster, shyster, mountebank, pettifogger, pretender, knave, cozener, dodger, humbug, crook, defrauder, dissembler, bilk, sharper, shark, wolf in sheep's clothing, enticer, decoy, beguiler, phony*, diddler*, two-timer*, blackleg*, con artist*, con man*, fourflusher*, shill*, sharp*, cardsharp*, flimflammer*, flimflam man*, bunco artist*, grifter*; see also criminal, impostor, quack, rascal.

  2. A trick

    fraud, swindle, deceit; see fake, trick 1.


cheat

v.

defraud, swindle, dupe, trick, deceive, victimize, hoax, con*, bilk*, gull*, bamboozle*, fleece*, overcharge*, shortchange*, gyp*, gouge*, rook*, chisel*, cozen*, mulct*, be dishonest, practice fraud, crib*, plagiarize*, copy*, be unfaithful, play around*, fool around*, two-time*, stack the deck, stack the cards, play with marked cards, load the dice, diddle*, rip off*, clip*, stick*, sting*, burn*, beat*; see also deceive.

cheat, the most general term in this comparison, implies dealing dishonestly or deceptively with someone to obtain some advantage or gain; defraud, chiefly a legal term, stresses the use of deliberate deception in criminally depriving a person of rights or property; swindle stresses the winning of a person's confidence in order to cheat or defraud that person of money; trick implies deluding by means of a ruse, stratagem, etc., but does not always suggest fraudulence or a harmful motive; dupe stresses credulity in the person who is tricked or fooled; hoax implies a trick skillfully carried off simply to demonstrate the gullibility of the victim


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cheat Usage Examples

Object

  • menu: Note: The last two cheats won't appear on the cheat menu.

Converse of object

  • unlock: Mos Eisley Cantina also has a store from which to buy extras, characters, gold blocks and unlock cheats.

Preposition: at

  • menu: Cheat mode Cheats At the main menu, press L, R, L, R, X(2 ), Y(2 ).

Adjective modifier

  • ps2: I have PS2 cheats here.If you want cheats for basically any console on the planet then click here.

Noun used with modifier

  • xbox: Xbox cheats, hints and tips from Freeola... of free game cheats for all formats including the Microsoft Xbox.

Used with why or when

  • who: Firstly Iâd have thought the chances of getting caught are higher than staying clean and beating a cheat who hasnât been caught.

Preposition: for

  • game: Download Every Game Cheat on the planet Get cheats for every game ever made!
cheat usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

cheat quotes

A man, indeed, is not genteel when he gets drunk; but most vicesmay be committed verygenteelly: a manmay debauch his friend's wife genteelly: he may cheat at cardsgenteelly.

-Boswell,James

An'now, auld Cloots, I ken ye're thinkan, A certain Bardie's rantin, drinkin, Some luckless hour will send him linkan, To your black pit; But faith! he'll turn a corner jinkan, An'cheat you yet.

-Burns, Robert

Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat, When it's so lucrative to cheat.

-Clough, Arthur Hugh

cheat quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"cheat." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/cheat>

APA Style

cheat. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/cheat

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