cheat

cheat¹ [tʃi:t] v

[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: cheat 'legal removal of someone's property' (14-17 centuries), from escheat]

1.) [I and T]

to behave in a dishonest way in order to win or to get an advantage, especially in a competition, game, or examination

▪ He had cheated in the test by using a calculator.

▪ Don't look at my cards - that's cheating .

cheat at

▪ She always claimed that I cheated at chess.

2.) [T]

to trick or deceive someone so that they do not get or keep something they have a right to have

▪ Illegal workers are often cheated by employers.

cheat sb (out) of sth

▪ a woman who cheated her aged aunt out of her fortune

3.) feel cheated

to feel that you have been treated wrongly or unfairly and have not got what you deserve

▪ Young people often feel cheated by their parents without knowing why.

4.) cheat death/fate etc

to manage to avoid death or a very bad situation even though it seemed that you would not be able to

▪ The Italian ace cheated death in a spectacular 100 mph crash.

5.) be cheated of victory/success etc

if you are cheated of victory, success etc, you do not achieve it because of something unfortunate that happens

cheat on [cheat on sb] phr v

to be unfaithful to your husband, wife, or sexual partner by secretly having sex with someone else

▪ The magazine claims that almost half of Britain's women cheat on their partners.

cheat ²

cheat² n

1.) someone who is dishonest and cheats

▪ His addiction has turned him into a cheat and a liar.

2.) a cheat

something that is dishonest or unfair

3.) a set of instructions given to a computer that make it easier for someone who is playing a computer game to win