deceit

Noun
Synonyms: fraudulencemisrepresentationdeceptiondissemblingdissimulation

WordNet 3.0

Noun (3)

  1. the quality of being fraudulentSynonyms: fraudulence
  2. a misleading falsehoodSynonyms: misrepresentationdeception
  3. the act of deceivingSynonyms: deceptiondissemblingdissimulation
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Deceit \De*ceit"\, n. [OF. deceit, des[,c]ait, decept (cf. deceite, de[,c]oite), fr. L. deceptus deception, fr. decipere. See Deceive.]

1.An attempt or disposition to deceive or lead into error; any declaration, artifice, or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false; a contrivance to entrap; deception; a wily device; fraud. [1913 Webster]

Making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit.— Amos viii. 5.[1913 Webster]
Friendly to man, far from deceit or guile.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
Yet still we hug the dear deceit.— N. Cotton.[1913 Webster]

2.(Law) Any trick, collusion, contrivance, false representation, or underhand practice, used to defraud another. When injury is thereby effected, an action of deceit, as it called, lies for compensation.

Syn: Deception; fraud; imposition; duplicity; trickery; guile; falsifying; double-dealing; stratagem. See Deception. [1913 Webster]

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