cozener
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English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
- (16th century): cosener, cosiner, cousoner, coosener, cossoner, cousener
- (17th century): cos’ner, cosener, cosiner, couzener, coz’ner, cozoner
Etymology[edit]
cozen (“cheat, defraud”) + -er
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kŭʹzənər, kŭzʹnər, IPA(key): /ˈkʌzənə/, /ˈkʌznə/
Noun[edit]
cozener (plural cozeners)
- An imposter, a swindler.
- 1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of King Lear:
- The usurer hangs the cozener.
- 1993, Richard Burt, Licensed by authority: Ben Jonson and the discourses of censorship:
- Yet the difference between players and cozeners was not always secure.
Related terms[edit]
References[edit]
- “cozener” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]