cozen English
Verb
( en verb)
(archaic) To cheat; to defraud; to beguile; to deceive, usually by small arts, or in a pitiful way.
* 1602 , , Act III, Scene 2,
- What devil was't / That thus hath cozen'd you at hoodman-blind?
* , 1851, The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor , Volume 1, page 895 ,
- It is certain that children may be cozened into goodness, and sick men to health, and passengers in a storm into safety; and the reason of these is, — because not only the end is fair, and charitable, and just, but the means are such which do no injury to the persons which are to receive benefit;.
* 1866 , Spoils, By a Receiver'', Charles Chauncey Burr (editor), ''The Old Guard: A Monthly Journal Devoted to the Principles of 1776 and 1787 , Volume 4, page 497 ,
- The man, too, who has been matrimonially cozened''''', "would all the world might be '''cozened'''," for he has been '''cozened''', and beaten too; but with him the cudgel is "hallowed;" he would "hang it o'er the altar;" perhaps for the reason given by the "Merry Wives of Windsor," because "it hath done meritorious service;" and no sooner is he, by a seemingly merciful disposition of Providence, released from the cudgeler, but he is in haste to be ' cozened and beaten again.
* 1914 , , The Gates of Doom , 2001, page 217 ,
- But that you should have been cozened' with me, that my ' cozening should in part have been a natural sequel to your own, rather than an independent error of mine, is a helpful reflection to me in this dark hour.
Usage notes
Modern usage is generally to effect a dated style.
Related terms
* cozener
* cozenage
References
* Webster's New School and Office Dictionary, copyright 1962
* "cozen" on Online Etymology Dictionary
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chouse English
Verb
To cheat, to trick.
* '', 1853, J. Forster (editor), ''The Works of Walter Savage Landor , Volume 1, page 29 ,
- I cannot think otherwise than that the undertaker of the aforecited poesy hath choused your Highness; for I have seen painted, I know not where, the identically same Dian, with full as many nymphs, as he calls them, and more dogs.
*
(US, regional) To handle, to take care of.
* 1980 , John R. Erickson, Panhandle Cowboy , page 79 ,
- This gave the roundup the appearance of a cavalry charge, and a stranger observing the procedure for the first time might have thought we were a bunch of green, possibly drunken cowboys making sport out of chousing' cattle. But we weren't ' chousing them, we were just trying to keep them in sight, and for a very good reason.
Synonyms
* (cheat) cheat, trick
Noun
( en noun)
One who is easily cheated; a gullible person.
- (Hudibras)
A trick; a sham.
- (Johnson)
A swindler.
- (Ben Jonson)
( Webster 1913)
References
Anagrams
*
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