Cheat Meaning

/ˈt͡ʃiːt/
B1

Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

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verbTo violate rules in order to gain, or attempt to gain, advantage from a situation.

verbTo be unfaithful to one's spouse or partner; to commit adultery, or to engage in sexual or romantic conduct with a person other than one's partner in contravention of the rules of society or agreement in the relationship.

It is wrong to cheat at cards.
You ought to be ashamed to cheat on exams.
She is accused of attempting to cheat the taxman.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
If you look at your neighbor's answers during the test, you are trying to ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is never a good idea to ____ on a test, as you only hurt yourself.

Verb from Middle English achetan, variant of escheten, from Old French escheat, past participle of escheoir, escheoiter, from Late Latin *excadēre (“fall away, fall out”), from (Latin) ex- + cadere (“fall”). Displaced native Old English beswīcan. Noun from verb and/or Middle English chete, aphetic form of achete, escheat, eschete (“the reversion of property to the state”), from Anglo-Norman eschete and Old French eschet, escheit, escheoit (“that which falls to one”), past participle of escheoir (“to fall”) (modern French échoir), from Late Latin *excadēre (“fall away, fall out”), from (Latin) ex- + cadere (“fall”). Doublet of escheat.

"While the nonavoidant passive-aggressive cheats for the sexual gratification and tries to disguise his or her cheating afterwards, in contrast, the passive-aggressive avoidant cheats less for the sex than to send a message[…]" — 2003, Martin Kantor, Distancing: Avoidant Personality Disorder, page 137:
"I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of this island." — 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
"[T]he holly providentially planted about the house, to cheat winter of its dreariness, and throw in a gleam of green summer to cheer the fireside:—all these bespeak the influence of taste, flowing down from high sources, and pervading the lowest levels of the public mind." — 1819 July 31, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Rural Life in England”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number II, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 130:
"The gig ended with Rotten uttering the now famous line, “Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?” On January 17, the Sex Pistols split up." — 2018, Peter Smith, quoting Johnny Rotten, Sex Pistols: The Pride of Punk, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page xxvi:
"When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat." — 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):

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CEFR Practice Quiz
If you look at your neighbor's answers during the test, you are trying to ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is never a good idea to ____ on a test, as you only hurt yourself.

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