verb / noun
cheat
To act dishonestly to gain an advantage, or a person who does so.
Some players cheat by hiding extra cards under the table.
Etymology
Cheat developed from escheat, the legal reversion of property. Associations with dishonest seizure or exploitation of that process helped turn the word toward fraud more generally.
More examples
- She gets caught cheating on the final exam.
- The seller cheated us out of fifty dollars.
- Nobody wants to play with a cheat.
Forms
cheat · cheats · cheated · cheating
cheater noun — Someone who acts dishonestly for personal advantage.