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Fake Very Common

Fake has 13 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Adjective

Definitions
Noun
1

something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be

"The police suspect the rare painting hanging in the gallery is fake, as several experts have found inconsistencies in its brushwork."

2

a person who makes deceitful pretenses

3

(football) a deceptive move made by a football player

"The quarterback faked a handoff to draw the linebackers in before throwing downfield."

4

Something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently.

"The sailor carefully counted each fake to ensure the coiled hawser was wound tight enough to hold under heavy strain."

5

One of the circles or windings of a cable or hawser, as it lies in a coil; a single turn or coil.

In plain English: A fake is something that looks real but is actually not genuine.

"The police suspect that the diamond is just a fake."

Usage: Do not use the word fake to mean a single loop of coiled rope, as that is a specific nautical term unrelated to deception. Instead, reserve fake as a noun for an object made to resemble something else but lacking authenticity.

Verb
1

make a copy of with the intent to deceive

"he faked the signature"

"they counterfeited dollar bills"

"She forged a Green Card"

2

tamper, with the purpose of deception

"Fudge the figures"

"cook the books"

"falsify the data"

3

speak insincerely or without regard for facts or truths

"The politician was not well prepared for the debate and faked it"

4

To make a counterfeit, to counterfeit, to forge, to falsify.

"The sailor carefully fake the hawser around the winch drum before letting it run out into the sea."

5

To coil (a rope, line, or hawser), by winding alternately in opposite directions, in layers usually of zigzag or figure of eight form, to prevent twisting when running out.

In plain English: To fake something means to pretend that you have done it or feel a certain way when you haven't actually done it or don't really feel it.

"The magician made his assistant fake her death to create a dramatic illusion."

Usage: To fake means to pretend something is true or deceive someone about the nature of an event. Do not use this word to describe coiling a rope, as that specific action has its own distinct definition unrelated to deception.

Adjective
1

fraudulent; having a misleading appearance

"The charity worker immediately suspected that the donation request was fake after noticing the mismatched logo on the letterhead."

2

not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article

"it isn't fake anything; it's real synthetic fur"

"faux pearls"

"false teeth"

"decorated with imitation palm leaves"

"a purse of simulated alligator hide"

3

Not real; false, fraudulent.

"The detective quickly identified the fake documents as part of a elaborate fraud scheme."

In plain English: Fake means something is not real or is made to look like it's genuine when it isn't.

"The ticket turned out to be fake when we tried to get in."

Usage: Use "fake" to describe anything that is not genuine or is deliberately counterfeit, such as a fake signature or fake news. Avoid using it to mean "artificial" in neutral contexts where "artificial" or "synthetic" would be more accurate.

Example Sentences
"The ticket turned out to be fake when we tried to get in." adj
"The police suspect that the diamond is just a fake." noun
"The magician made his assistant fake her death to create a dramatic illusion." verb
See Also
doll fraud wig unreal fakery falsify hawser counterfeit
Related Terms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
imitation deceiver feint re-create cheat feign
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
fake book Potemkin village name dropper ringer juggle

Origin

The origin of "fake" is uncertain, but it likely began as British criminal slang in 1775 derived from a word meaning to spruce up or embellish. This root traces back through Low and Old Saxon terms for cleaning or polishing into Proto-West Germanic.

Rhyming Words
ake sake lake make pake nake kake dake cake hake bake wake jake rake shake wrake otake omake flake drake
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