Cozen

Pronunciation: /ˈkʌzən/

Definitions of cozen

verb to deceive or trick through dishonesty or manipulation

Example Sentences

A1 She tried to cozen her way out of trouble by lying.

A2 The con artist attempted to cozen the old lady out of her life savings.

B1 He was known for his ability to cozen people into believing his lies.

B2 The politician was accused of cozening the public with false promises.

C1 The scam artist had a talent for cozening even the most skeptical individuals.

C2 Despite his charming demeanor, he was always looking for ways to cozen others for personal gain.

Examples of cozen in a Sentence

formal The con artist tried to cozen the elderly woman out of her life savings.

informal I can't believe he tried to cozen us into buying that junk car.

slang Don't trust him, he's always trying to cozen people for his own gain.

figurative The politician's promises were nothing but a clever attempt to cozen the voters.

Grammatical Forms of cozen

• past tense: cozened
• plural: cozen
• comparative: more cozening
• superlative: most cozening
• present tense: cozens
• future tense: will cozen
• perfect tense: have cozened
• continuous tense: is cozening
• singular: cozens
• positive degree: cozen
• infinitive: to cozen
• gerund: cozening
• participle: cozened

Origin and Evolution of cozen

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'cozen' originated from Middle English 'cosin', which came from Old French 'coçon' meaning 'cousin' or 'close relative'. It was originally used in the sense of deceiving someone as if they were a trusted relative.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'cozen' evolved to specifically mean to deceive or cheat someone through cunning or deceitful means, regardless of any familial relationship. The word has retained its negative connotation and is still used in a similar context today.