Definition of deceive

deceiveverb

lừa dối

/dɪˈsiːv//dɪˈsiːv/

The word "deceive" has its roots in Latin. It comes from the verb "decipere," which means "to catch in a snare" or "to ensnare." This verb is a combination of "de" meaning "down" or "away" and "cipere" meaning "to take." In the 14th century, Middle English adopted the Latin verb "decipere" and adapted it to "deceiven," which initially meant "to capture or entangle." Over time, the meaning evolved to imply trickery or misleading, such as "to lead astray" or "to deceive." The modern English word "deceive" has undergone significant semantic shifts, but its Latin roots remain evident in its connotation of cunning or deceit.

namespace

to make somebody believe something that is not true

làm cho ai đó tin vào điều gì đó không đúng sự thật

Example:
  • Her husband had been deceiving her for years.

    Chồng cô đã lừa dối cô trong nhiều năm.

  • She deceived him into handing over all his savings.

    Cô đã lừa anh giao hết số tiền tiết kiệm của anh.

to refuse to admit to yourself that something unpleasant is true

từ chối thừa nhận với chính mình rằng điều gì đó khó chịu là đúng

Example:
  • You're deceiving yourself if you think he'll change his mind.

    Bạn đang tự lừa dối chính mình nếu bạn nghĩ rằng anh ấy sẽ thay đổi ý định.

to make somebody have a wrong idea about somebody/something

làm cho ai đó có ý kiến ​​sai lầm về ai/cái gì

Example:
  • Unless my eyes deceive me, that's his wife.

    Trừ khi mắt tôi đánh lừa tôi, đó là vợ anh ta.

  • the hallmarks of a detective mystery where appearances deceive

    dấu hiệu của một bí ẩn trinh thám nơi vẻ bề ngoài đánh lừa

Related words and phrases

Idioms

flatter to deceive
(British English)if something flatters to deceive, it appears to be better, more successful, etc. than it really is
  • As with many new bands, their early success flattered to deceive.