deceit
- 01 C1 Advanced
the quality of being dishonest or the habit of lying to people.
the quality or state of being deceitful; a character trait defined by dishonesty.
Simple“She was shocked by the deceit in his eyes when he spoke.”
In context“The poet explores the inherent deceit of appearances, suggesting that beauty often masks a hollow interior.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
a legal term for lying about important facts to hurt someone or take their money.
the tort of fraudulent representation of a material fact made with knowledge of its falsity to induce reliance and cause injury.
Simple“The company was sued for deceit after lying about the safety of their product.”
In context“To succeed in an action for deceit, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant made a false representation with the intent that it be acted upon.”
UsageIn legal contexts, it is often used as an uncountable noun referring to the specific cause of action.
Synonyms
“Now it feels more crucial than ever to think for ourselves, debunk the deceits and sort the sheep from the goats.”
“This year, however, their marriages are threatened by one husband’s deceit, the lingering attraction between old friends and the arrival of a vivacious teenage stepdaughter.”
From Middle English deceyte, from Old French deceite, deçoite, from decevoir (“to deceive”), from Latin dēcipere (“to cheat, mislead”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.