play someone false


adjective, falser, falsest.
not true or correct; erroneous: a false statement.
uttering or declaring what is untrue: a false witness.
not faithful or loyal; treacherous: a false friend.
tending to deceive or mislead; deceptive: a false impression.
not genuine; counterfeit.
based on mistaken, erroneous, or inconsistent impressions, ideas, or facts: false pride.
used as a substitute or supplement, especially temporarily: false supports for a bridge.
Biology. having a superficial resemblance to something that properly bears the name: the false acacia.
not properly, accurately, or honestly made, done, or adjusted: a false balance.
inaccurate in pitch, as a musical note.
dishonestly; faithlessly; treacherously: Did he speak false against me?
play someone false, to betray someone; be treacherous or faithless.

before 1000; Middle English, Old English fals < Latin falsus feigned, false, orig. past participle of fallere to deceive; reinforced by or reborrowed from Anglo-French, Old French fals, feminine false < Latin

falsely, adverb
falseness, noun
half-false, adjective
quasi-false, adjective
quasi-falsely, adverb

1. mistaken, incorrect, wrong, untrue. 2. untruthful, lying, mendacious. 3. insincere, hypocritical, disingenuous, disloyal, unfaithful, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous. 4. misleading, fallacious. 5. artificial, spurious, bogus, forged. False, sham, counterfeit agree in referring to something that is not genuine. False is used mainly of imitations of concrete objects; it sometimes implies an intent to deceive: false teeth; false hair. Sham is rarely used of concrete objects and usually has the suggestion of intent to deceive: sham title; sham tears. Counterfeit always has the implication of cheating; it is used particularly of spurious imitation of coins, paper money, etc. Unabridged
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World English Dictionary
false (fɔːls)
1.  not in accordance with the truth or facts
2.  irregular or invalid: a false start
3.  untruthful or lying: a false account
4.  not genuine, real, or natural; artificial; fake: false eyelashes
5.  being or intended to be misleading or deceptive: a false rumour
6.  disloyal or treacherous: a false friend
7.  based on mistaken or irrelevant ideas or facts: false pride; a false argument
8.  (prenominal) (esp of plants) superficially resembling the species specified: false hellebore
9.  serving to supplement or replace, often temporarily: a false keel
10.  music
 a.  (of a note, interval, etc) out of tune
 b.  (of the interval of a perfect fourth or fifth) decreased by a semitone
 c.  (of a cadence) interrupted or imperfect
11.  in a false or dishonest manner (esp in the phrase play (someone) false)
[Old English fals, from Latin falsus, from fallere to deceive]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Word Origin & History

c.1200, from O.Fr. fals, faus, from L. falsus "deceived, erroneous, mistaken," pp. of fallere "deceive, disappoint," of uncertain origin. Adopted into other Gmc. languages (cf. Ger. falsch, Dan. falsk), though English is the only one in which the active sense of "deceitful" (a secondary sense in L.)
has predominated. Related: Falsely. Falsies "padded brassiere" first recorded 1943.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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