See Also: fraud(medicine)
Fraud(law)
fraud(dictionary)
fraud(encyclopedia)
fraud(dictionary)
Fraud(finance)
Fraud(money)
Securities Fraud(law)
STATUTES OF FRAUD(law)
Computer Fraud(law)

fraud (iou)



fraud noun. ME.
[Old & mod. French fraude from Latin fraud-, fraus deceit, injury.]
The use of false representations to gain unjust advantage; criminal deception. ME.
Swift They look upon fraud as a greater crime than theft.
b. The quality of being deceitful; insincerity. Now rare. LME.
Ld Macaulay Vices..which are the natural defence of weakness, fraud and hypocrisy.
c. A state of delusion. rare (Milton). M-L17.
Milton So glister'd the dire Snake, and into fraud Led Eve.
An act or instance of deception; a dishonest artifice or trick. LME.
M. Twain It was a base frauda snare to trap the unwary.
A method or means of deceiving; now esp. a person or thing not fulfilling expectation or description, an impostor. M17.
W. Cowper Not all..Can..Discern the fraud beneath the specious lure. R. Cobb He's a bit of a fraud..well, let us say, he exaggerates.
Phrases: in fraud of so as to defraud. pious fraud: see PIOUS adjective.
Comb.: fraudsman a cheat, an impostor, a fraud; fraud squad a division of a police force appointed to investigate fraud.
fraudful adjective fraudulent, treacherous LME.
fraudfully adverb LME.
fraudless adjective (now rare) free from fraud L16.
fraudster noun a person who commits fraud, esp. in business dealings L20.