de duve
C1Formal, literary, serious contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To make someone believe something that is not true; to deliberately mislead.
To cause someone to hold a false belief, often for personal advantage or to conceal the truth. It involves an intent to trick or dupe.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies intentional dishonesty and successful misleading. Stronger than 'mislead'; often involves betrayal of trust. The focus is on the act of causing the false belief, not necessarily the final outcome.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage and meaning are identical. No significant spelling or grammatical differences.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of dishonesty and moral wrong in both variants.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in formal British writing; equally common in serious discourse in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V n][V n into -ing][V n that][V n about n]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Appearances can be deceiving.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in legal/contractual contexts, e.g., 'The company was accused of deceiving its investors.'
Academic
Used in philosophy (epistemology), psychology, and political science regarding propaganda and false beliefs.
Everyday
Serious personal contexts, e.g., 'I felt deceived by his promises.'
Technical
In computing/security: 'The malware deceives the system's defences.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The dossier was designed to deceive Parliament.
- She realised she had been deceiving herself about his feelings.
American English
- The ads are intended to deceive consumers.
- He deceived his partners about the company's financial health.
adverb
British English
- The product was deceivingly advertised as 'natural'.
- The path led deceivingly towards the cliff edge.
American English
- The test was deceivingly difficult.
- The package was deceivingly light.
adjective
British English
- Her manner was charming but ultimately deceiving.
- The document was full of deceiving statements.
American English
- The calm surface of the lake was deceiving; the currents were strong.
- He gave a deceivingly simple answer.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Don't be deceived by his friendly smile.
- The magazine cover can deceive you.
- The government was accused of deliberately deceiving the electorate.
- She had the ability to deceive people with her convincing stories.
- The forger's work was so skillful that it deceived experts for decades.
- Politicians who deceive the public ultimately erode democratic trust.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'DECEIVE' – the 'CEIVE' sounds like 'SEEVE' which is close to 'SIEVE' – you can't hold the truth in a sieve; it trickles out as lies.
Conceptual Metaphor
DECEPTION IS A COVER/VEIL (e.g., 'a cloak of deceit', 'deceive under a veil of friendship'). DECEPTION IS A TRAP (e.g., 'ensnare by deception').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'обманывать' in all its casual uses. 'Deceive' is more formal and serious than 'обмануть'. 'Обмануть ожидания' translates as 'to disappoint expectations', not 'deceive'.
- The noun 'deception' (обман, ложь) is more common than the verb in formal writing.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He deceived me to give him money.' Correct: 'He deceived me into giving him money.'
- Incorrect spelling: 'decieve'. Correct: 'deceive' (following 'i before e except after c').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the closest in meaning to 'deceive' in a legal context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it carries a strong negative moral judgement, implying intentional wrongdoing.
'Lie' refers specifically to stating a falsehood. 'Deceive' is broader; it is the successful act of causing someone to believe a falsehood, which can be achieved through lies, actions, or omissions.
No. 'Deceive' requires intent. If there is no intent to mislead, words like 'mislead' (which can be accidental) are more appropriate.
The primary noun is 'deception'. 'Deceit' is also a noun but often implies a habitual quality of being deceitful.