fake

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   speak insincerely or without regard for facts or truths

   The politician was not well prepared for the debate and faked it

2. 2
   verb

   make a copy of with the intent to deceive

   The delinquent student faked the signature on their report card.

3. 3
   adj

   Not real; false, fraudulent.

   Which fur coat looks fake?

4. 4
   noun

   Something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently.

   I suspect this passport is a fake.

5. 5
   verb

   To make a false display of, to affect, to feign, to simulate.

   to fake a marriage

6. 6
   verb

   To modify fraudulently, so as to make an object appear better or other than it really is

   He had a hundred similar tricks, but I never knew him fake a horse, or sell one as sound if it was not.

7. 7
   verb

   To improvise, in jazz.

   Occasionally the opportunity arises to stand up and "fake" a jazz standard.

8. 8
   adj

   fraudulent

Etymology

The origin is not known with certainty, although first attested in 1775 C.E. in British criminals' slang. It is probably from feak, feague (“to give a better appearance through artificial means, spruce up, embellish”), itself from German Low German fegen, from Middle Low German vēgen, from Old Saxon fegōn, from Proto-West Germanic *fegōn (“to clean up, polish”). Akin to Dutch veeg (“a swipe”), Dutch vegen (“to sweep, wipe”); German fegen (“to sweep, to polish”). Compare also Old English fācn (“deceit, fraud”). Perhaps related also to Old Norse fjúka (“to fade, vanquish, disappear”), Old Norse…