To deceive, delude.

transitive. To cheat, deceive, delude.

Of a thing: To prove false to, disappoint the expectation of, fail (a person). Obsolete.

transitive. To deceive or delude with kindness or kind words; to entice or lead on with delusive expectations; to encourage or confirm in…

To encourage or cheer (a person) with hopeful or pleasing representations; to inspire with hope, usually on insufficient grounds. Also, To foster…

transitive. With object and infinitive: to cause (a person or thing) to do something. intransitive. to make believe: †(a) to cause people to…

To trick, impose upon, deceive with false hopes.

transitive. To cause (a person) to go wrong or astray; to mislead, delude, or seduce. Obsolete.

transitive. To encourage or lead on with delusive expectations. Also: to put off or delay (a person) with evasive excuses.

To disappoint or deprive of by fraud or deceit; to defraud of.

To corrupt, pervert, mislead (a person, the understanding, etc.).

figurative. To deceive (the sight).

transitive. To deceive by illusion, or as by magic; to delude.

transitive. To lead (a person) astray like a will-o'-the-wisp.

To balk (hope, expectation); to cheat, deceive, betray.

figurative. To delude. Cf. outfox, v.

transitive. (See quot. 1736 at sense a.)

transitive. To cheat or deceive (a person) with appealing and persuasive but empty talk. Cf. moonshine, n. 2a. Obsolete.