Fraud, n.

n. [Lat. fraus, fraudis, Fr., Sp., Pg., & It. fraude, Pr. frau.] 1. Deception deliberately practiced with a view to gaining an unlawful or unfair advantage; artifice by which the right or interest of another is injured; injurious stratagem; deceit; trick. If success a lover’s toil attends, Who asks if force or fraud obtained his ends? Pope. 2. An act or instrumentality by which unfair or unlawful advantage is sought to be gained deceitfully; a fraudulent procedure; a deceptive trick. Syn.—Deception; deceit; guile; subtlety; craft; wile; sham; strife; circumvention; stratagem; trick; imposition; cheat. See DECEPTION.