Counterfeit

(koun’ter-fit), v. t. [imp. & p. p. COUNTERFEITED; p. pr. & vb. n. COUNTERFEITING.] [Fr. contrefaire, p. p. contrefait, from contre, against, Lat. contra, and faire, to make, Lat. facere; Pr. contrafar, contrafajre, It. contraffare, Pg. contrafazer, O. Sp. contrafacer, N. Sp. contrahacer.]

1Sense 1. To imitate, or put on a semblance of, especially for a bad purpose.

Full well they laughed with counterfeited glee. At all his jokes, for many a joke had he. Goldsmith.

2Sense 2. To copy or imitate without authority or right, and with a view to deceive or defraud, by passing the copy or thing forged for that which is original or genuine.

v. i. To carry on a deception; to dissemble; to feign; to pretend. The knave counterfeits well; a good knave. Shak.

(koun'ter-fit), n. 1. That which is made in imitation of something, with a view to deceive, by passing the false for the true. Some of these counterfeits are fabricated with such exquisite taste and skill, that it is the achievement of criticism to distinguish them from originals. Macaulay. 2. That which resembles or is like another thing; a likeness; a counterpart. Thou drawest a counterfeit Best in all Athens. Shak. Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, And look on death itself. Shak. 3. One who pretends to be what he is not; one who personates another; an impostor; a cheat. I am no counterfeit; to die is to be a counterfeit; for he is but the counterfeit of a man who hath not the life of a man.