Bilk: meaning, definitions and examples
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bilk
[ bɪlk ]
deceive, cheat
To bilk means to cheat or defraud someone, typically out of money. This action can involve tricking another person into giving up something valuable, often through dishonest means.
Synonyms
cheat, con, defraud, dupe, swindle.
Examples of usage
- The con artist tried to bilk the elderly couple out of their savings.
- He was arrested for bilking investors with false promises.
- Many people were bilked by the fraudulent scheme.
- The scammer attempted to bilk me out of my credit card information.
Translations
Translations of the word "bilk" in other languages:
🇵🇹 enganar
🇮🇳 धोखा देना
🇩🇪 betrügen
🇮🇩 menipu
🇺🇦 обманювати
🇵🇱 oszukiwać
🇯🇵 詐欺る
🇫🇷 tromper
🇪🇸 engañar
🇹🇷 aldatmak
🇰🇷 속이다
🇸🇦 خداع
🇨🇿 podvádět
🇸🇰 podvádzať
🇨🇳 欺骗
🇸🇮 prevarati
🇮🇸 svíkja
🇰🇿 алдау
🇬🇪 შესყიდვა
🇦🇿 aldatmaq
🇲🇽 engañar
Etymology
The word 'bilk' has a somewhat unclear origin, but it is believed to have derived from the early 17th century, possibly from the dialectal term 'bilk,' meaning 'to deceive.' This usage likely evolved from the earlier word 'bilk' which was associated with a dishonest practice involving deceit. The term was common in the gambling sector where players would 'bilk' or cheat each other out of money. Over time, the meaning expanded to encompass any act of cheating or defrauding someone, especially in financial matters. The word is often used in legal contexts, as well as in everyday discussions about scams and frauds. The transition from a term with possibly limited use to one that describes various forms of deceitful actions captures the evolving nature of language and the significance of trust in financial transactions.