fraud: Meaning and Definition of

fraud

Pronunciation: (frôd), [key]
— n.
  1. deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.
  2. a particular instance of such deceit or trickery: mail fraud; election frauds.
  3. any deception, trickery, or humbug: That diet book is a fraud and a waste of time.
  4. a person who makes deceitful pretenses; sham; poseur.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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