fraud

fraud

noun \ˈfrȯd\

Definition of FRAUD

1

a : deceit, trickery; specifically : intentional perversion of truth in order to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right

b : an act of deceiving or misrepresenting : trick

2

a : a person who is not what he or she pretends to be : impostor; also : one who defrauds : cheat

b : one that is not what it seems or is represented to be

Examples of FRAUD

1. He was found guilty of bank fraud.
2. He was the victim of an elaborate fraud.
3. He claimed he was a licensed psychologist, but he turned out to be a fraud.
4. The UFO picture was proved to be a fraud.

Origin of FRAUD

Middle English fraude, from Anglo-French, from Latin fraud-, fraus

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to FRAUD

Synonyms

bunco (or bunko), con, fiddle [chiefly British], flimflam, gyp, hustle, scam, shell game, sting, swindle

Antonyms

artlessness, forthrightness, good faith, guilelessness, ingenuousness, sincerity

Related Words

cross, fix; Ponzi scheme, pyramid scheme; racket, rip-off; thimblerig, three-card monte; device, dodge, gimmick, jig, ploy, scheme, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile; gouging, overcharging, soaking; counterfeit, fake, forgery, hoax, humbug, phony (also phoney), sham

Near Antonyms

ace, adept, authority, crackerjack (also crackajack), expert, maestro, master, past master, professional, virtuoso, whiz, wizard

See Synonym Discussion at deception, imposture

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

Rhymes with FRAUD

awed, baud, bawd, broad, clawed, flawed, gaud, god, jawed, laud, yod

fraud

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In law, the deliberate misrepresentation of fact for the purpose of depriving someone of a valuable possession or legal right. Any omission or concealment that is injurious to another or that allows a person to take unconscionable advantage of another may constitute criminal fraud. The most common type of fraud is the obtaining of property by giving a check for which there are insufficient funds in the signer's account. Another is the assumption of someone else's or a fictitious identity with the intent to deceive. Also important are mail and wire fraud (fraud committed by use of the postal service or electronic devices, such as telephones or computers). A tort action based on fraud is sometimes referred to as an action of deceit.