cozener
English
Alternative forms
- (16th century): cosener, cosiner, cousoner, coosener, cossoner, cousener
- (17th century): cos’ner, cosener, cosiner, couzener, coz’ner, cozoner
Etymology
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 331: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: kŭʹzənər, kŭzʹnər, IPA(key): /ˈkʌzənə/, /ˈkʌznə/
Noun
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
References
- “cozener” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]