undeceive

English

Alternative forms

• undeceave (obsolete)

Etymology

From un- +‎ deceive.

Verb

undeceive (third-person singular simple present undeceives, present participle undeceiving, simple past and past participle undeceived)

1. (transitive) To free from misconception, deception or error.
   • 1659, J[ohn] M[ilton], “To the Parlament of the Commonwealth of England with the Dominions therof”, in Considerations Touching the Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings out of the Church. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcombe] for L[ivewell] Chapman […], →OCLC:

     [I]t is a deed of higheſt charitie to help undeceive the people, and a vvork vvorthieſt your autoritie, in all things els authors, aſſertors and novv recoverers of our libertie, to deliver us, the only people of all Proteſtants left ſtill undeliverd, from the oppreſſions of a Simonious decimating clergie; […]

   • 1690, Robert Boyle, “A Previous Hydrostatical Way of Estimating Ores”, in Medicina Hydrostatica‎^[1], London: Samuel Smith, Section V, p. 168:

     […] Marcasites, I say, being thus fitted to delude the unskilful, I have had much ado to undeceive some, that brought or sent me them from America, of the pleasing Confidence they had entertained, that these promising Fossiles were Lumps of rich Ore of Gold, or Silver.

   • 1782, [Frances Burney], chapter IX, in Cecilia, or Memoirs of an Heiress. […], volume III, London: […] T[homas] Payne and Son […], and T[homas] Cadell […], →OCLC, book VI, page 318:

     Undeceived in her expectations and chilled in her hopes, the heart of Cecilia no longer struggled to sustain its dignity, or conceal its tenderness […]

   • 1863 January 3, Louisa May Alcott, chapter 1, in Pauline’s Passion and Punishment: Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, volume XV, number 379, page 229:

     If you think that this loss has broken my heart undeceive yourself, for such as I live years in an hour and show no sign.

   • 1918, Booth Tarkington, chapter XXXIII, in The Magnificent Ambersons, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, →OCLC, page 467:

     Early every morning she made something she called (and believed to be) coffee for George, and he was gallant enough not to undeceive her.

Synonyms

• disabuse

Derived terms

• undeceiver

References

• “undeceive”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.