Frugal Café Superb Word of the Day: Bilk
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on March 7, 2009
By Vicki McClure Davidson * Frugal Café Blog Zone
Gotta Love It: Another superb word received this morning in my “Dr. Dictionary Word of the Day” e-newsletter:
Word of the Day: Bilk
bilk bilk, verb, noun:
1. to defraud; cheat
2. to frustrate
3. to escape from; elude
4. a trick; fraud; deceit
5. a cheat, swindler
Stuart Levine is a guy who is accused of trying to bilk numerous state agencies – and people seeking help from government agencies – out of millions of dollars.
– Steve BrownBy 1651, from the noun (1633), first used as a cribbage term. Origin obscure, it was believed in 17th century to be “a word signifying nothing,” perhaps of Arab origin; but it is rather perhaps a thinned form of balk. Meaning “to defraud” is first recorded 1672.
About the author
Comments