cozener
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]