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to rook

to rook

3 9.9
To cheat someone and take their money or things
  • verb
  • /rʊk/
  • Archaic
translation icon : timar
  • Wellings--he rooked us.
  • get rooked
  • rooked into thinking

Ajax was rooked out of the arms of Achilles, probably by Odysseus.

Examples

  • I felt like I got rooked when the contractor charged me extra for materials that were supposed to be included.

  • You got rooked, you want your old life back.

  • And then all about how he got rooked in Miami.

  • I'm beginning to think I'm getting rooked again.

  • But he rooked us--

  • Ajax was rooked out of the arms of Achilles, probably by Odysseus.

  • He rooked us.

  • They rooked me out of my savings by promising high returns on a fake investment.

  • She was angry after realizing that the seller had rooked her into buying a defective car.

Synonyms

to cheat
vsto rook
474 1.2

To act dishonestly to gain an unfair advantage

narrows this to cheating aimed at taking money or belongings
to trick
vsto rook
326 3.5

To make someone believe something false so you can get what you want

narrows this to tricking specifically to take money or items
to roll
vsto rook
  • Slang
128 8.8

To trick someone to take their money or goods

is similar but highlights planned trickery to take possessions
to con
vsto rook
  • Informal
61 7.3

To trick someone into giving their money or things

covers the same action but framed as deliberate taking of goods
to defraud
vsto rook
  • Formal
40 6.9

To illegally get money or things from someone by lying

is similar but describes general trickery rather than legal emphasis
to scam
vsto rook
  • NSFW
20 3.9

To trick someone into giving money or their things

is the same idea but emphasizes trickery for personal gain
to swindle
vsto rook
20 5.5

To cheat someone and take their money by lying

focuses specifically on taking money or possessions by trickery
to bilk
vsto rook
12 9.5

Cheat someone to avoid paying money you owe

focuses more broadly on tricking to take possessions or cash
to victimize
vsto rook
  • US
7 7.2

Trick someone to take their money or things

stresses the act of tricking specifically to remove possessions
to diddle
vsto rook
  • UK
6 8.9

To trick someone so you take their money or things

focuses specifically on trickery used to take money or goods
to short-change
vsto rook
  • Informal
5 7.0

Give someone less money than they should get

involves trickery aimed at taking money or possessions broadly
to chisel
vsto rook
  • Archaic
4 8.9

To cheat someone out of money or things by tricking them

specifies obtaining money or goods through deceptive means
to goldbrick
vsto rook
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To cheat someone out of money or things

uses the same tricking action but always targets money or goods
to hornswoggle
vsto rook
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To trick someone to take their money or things

limits this to taking money or possessions through crafty acts
to nobble
vsto rook
  • NSFW
1 9.9

Get money or goods from someone by tricking them

is the same action aimed particularly at money or belongings
to bunco
vsto rook
  • Archaic
9.9

To cheat someone by lying to get their money

means the same but highlights trickery to take possessions
to chouse
vsto rook
9.9

To trick someone and take their money or things

is the same scheme focused on taking money or items
to mulct
vsto rook
  • NSFW
9.9

Cheat someone to get their money or things

is the same idea but centred on trickery to steal value
to gip
vsto rook
  • Offensive
9.9

To cheat someone by taking their money or things

is the neutral term for tricking to take money or belongings
to fleeche
vsto rook
  • Archaic
9.9

To trick someone to take their money or goods

means the same taking of money or goods but is modern usage

How Dishonest

to defraud
  • Formal
40 6.9
to rook
  • Archaic
3 9.9
to swindle
20 5.5
to cheat
474 1.2
to deceive
270 3.9
to mislead
87 3.9

Surface Forms

rook infinitive
rooked past
rooked past participle
rooking present participle
rooks third person singular

Etymology

Rook: The verb rook meaning 'to cheat' began as slang, and a helpful way to remember it is to think of the bird rook taking or plucking things, so to rook someone is to take their money by trickery.