v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Defrauded; p. pr. & vb. n. Defrauding. ] [ L. defraudare; de- + fraudare to cheat, fr. fraus, fraudis, fraud: cf. OF. defrauder. See Fraud. ] To deprive of some right, interest, or property, by a deceitful device; to withhold from wrongfully; to injure by embezzlement; to cheat; to overreach; as, to defraud a servant, or a creditor, or the state; -- with of before the thing taken or withheld. [ 1913 Webster ]

We have defrauded no man. 2 Cor. vii. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

Churches seem injured and defrauded of their rights. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. defraudatio: cf. F. défraudation. ] The act of defrauding; a taking by fraud. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who defrauds; a cheat; an embezzler; a peculator. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. defraudement. ] Privation by fraud; defrauding. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. fraude, L. fraus, fraudis; prob. akin to Skr. dhūrv to injure, dhv&rsdot_; to cause to fall, and E. dull. ] 1. Deception deliberately practiced with a view to gaining an unlawful or unfair advantage; artifice by which the right or interest of another is injured; injurious stratagem; deceit; trick. [ 1913 Webster ]

If success a lover's toil attends,
Few ask, if fraud or force attained his ends. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) An intentional perversion of truth for the purpose of obtaining some valuable thing or promise from another. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A trap or snare. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To draw the proud King Ahab into fraud. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Constructive fraud (Law), an act, statement, or omission which operates as a fraud, although perhaps not intended to be such. Mozley & W. --
Pious fraud (Ch. Hist.), a fraud contrived and executed to benefit the church or accomplish some good end, upon the theory that the end justified the means. --
Statute of frauds (Law), an English statute (1676), the principle of which is incorporated in the legislation of all the States of this country, by which writing with specific solemnities (varying in the several statutes) is required to give efficacy to certain dispositions of property. Wharton.

Syn. -- Deception; deceit; guile; craft; wile; sham; strife; circumvention; stratagem; trick; imposition; cheat. See Deception. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of fraud, deceit, or treachery; trickish; treacherous; fraudulent; -- applied to persons or things. I. Taylor.

-- Fraud"ful*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. Free from fraud. -- Fraud"less*ly, adv. -- Fraud"less*ness, n.

{ , n. [ L. fraudulentia. ] The quality of being fraudulent; deliberate deceit; trickishness. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. fraudulentus, fr. fraus, fraudis, fraud: cf. F. fraudulent. ] 1. Using fraud; tricky; deceitful; dishonest. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Characterized by, founded on, or proceeding from, fraud; as, a fraudulent bargain. [ 1913 Webster ]

He, with serpent tongue, . . .
His fraudulent temptation thus began. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Obtained or performed by artifice; as, fraudulent conquest. Milton.

Syn. -- Deceitful; fraudful; guileful; crafty; wily; cunning; subtle; deceiving; cheating; deceptive; insidious; treacherous; dishonest; designing; unfair. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a fraudulent manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The use of the mails to defraud someone. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(U. S. Hist.) The grant by the State of Georgia, by Act of Jan. 7, 1795, of 35, 000, 000 acres of her western territory, for $500, 000, to four companies known as the
Yazoo Companies from the region granted ; -- commonly so called, the act being known as the
Yazoo Frauds Act, because of alleged corruption of the legislature, every member but one being a shareholder in one or more of the companies. The act granting the land was repealed in 1796 by a new legislature, and the repealing provision was incorporated in the State constitution in 1798. In 1802 the territory was ceded to the United States. The claims of the purchasers, whom Georgia had refused to compensate, were sustained by the United States Supreme Court, which (1810) declared the repealing act of 1796 unconstitutional. Congress in 1814 ordered the lands sold and appropriated $5, 000, 000 to pay the claims. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]