Also 5 chetyn, 7 cheate. [ME. chete, aphetic f. achete (ACHEAT), phonetic variant of eschete, ESCHEAT.]
† 1. trans. To escheat, confiscate. Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 73. Chetyn, confiscor, fisco.
2. To defraud; to deprive of by deceit.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., IV. iii. 79. I hope you do not meane to cheate me so? Ibid. (1594), Rich. III., I. i. 19. Cheated of Feature by dissembling Nature.
1616. Bullokar, Cheate, to cousin, to deceiue.
1679. Prideaux, Lett. (1875), 68. I am unwilling a rogue should cheat me of 5l.
1821. Joanna Baillie, Metr. Leg., Lady G. Baillie, ix. 6. The Scaffold of its prey to cheat.
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., IV. xviii. 71. If they were to be cheated of their right.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 328. You are lazy and mean to cheat us out of a whole chapter.
3. To deceive, impose upon, trick.
1634. Milton, Comus, 155. To cheat the eye with blear illusion.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 52. All Fanatics cheat themselves with Words, mistaking them for Things.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. iii. (1840), 78. They would not by any means cheat and impose upon them.
1882. Shorthouse, J. Inglesant, II. 386. Let us cheat ourselves, if it be a cheat, with this fancy.
4. intr. To deal fraudulently, practise deceit.
1647. Cowley, Mistr., Discov., iv. He would cheat for his relief.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., ii. § 20. Cleon … could cheat at cards.
Mod. Accused of cheating in an examination.
5. trans. To beguile (weariness, tedium, etc.).
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 406, ¶ 6. No Lay unsung to cheat the tedious Way.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, I. iv. The tuneless rhyme With which the warder cheats the time.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, xi. 172. Devices by which the ladies … were wont to cheat fatigue.
† 6. To obtain by cheating. Obs.
1727. Swift, Art Polit. Lying, Wks. 1755, III. I. 119. Making restitution of thousands he has cheated.
1737. Pope, Hor. Epist., I. vi. 93. Something which for your honour they may cheat.
