Cheat, n.
Etymology: [rob. an abbrevation of escheat, lands or tenements that fall to a lord or to the state by forfeiture, or by the death of the tenant without heirs; the meaning being explained by the frauds, real or supposed, that were resorted to in procuring escheats. See Escheat.]
1. An act of deception or fraud; that which is the means of fraud or deception; a fraud; a trick; imposition; imposture. When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat. Dryden.
2. One who cheats or deceives; an impostor; a deceiver; a cheater. Airy wonders, which cheats interpret. Johnson
3. (Bot.)
A troublesome grass, growing as a weed in grain fields; -- called also chess. See Chess.
4 more senses
4. (Law)
The obtaining of property from another by an intentional active distortion of the truth.
Note: When cheats are effected by deceitful or illegal symbols or tokens which may affect the public at large and against which common prudence could not have guarded, they are indictable at common law. Wharton.
Syn. -- Deception; imposture; fraud; delusion; artifice; trick; swindle; deceit; guile; finesse; stratagem.
3 other Webster entries under this spelling
Cheat, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cheated; p. pr. & vb. n. Cheating.]
1. To deceive and defraud; to impose upon; to trick; to swindle. I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of this island. Shak.
2. To beguile. Sir W. Scott. To cheat winter of its dreariness. W. Irving.
Syn. -- To trick; cozen; gull; chouse; fool; outwit; circumvent; beguile; mislead; dupe; swindle; defraud; overreach; delude; hoodwink; deceive; bamboozle.
Cheat, v. i.
To practice fraud or trickery; as, to cheat at cards.
Cheat, n.
Wheat, or bread made from wheat. [Obs.] Drayton. Their purest cheat, Thrice bolted, kneaded, and subdued in paste. Chapman.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for cheat; he lists it under artifice, fraud, hypocrite.
Where he writes about it:
A cheat is a mean advantage in a bargain; a fraud, any form of covert robbery or injury. — from artifice
Fraud includes deceit, but deceit may not reach the gravity of fraud; a cheat is of the nature of fraud, but of a petty sort; a swindle is more serious than a cheat, involving larger values and more flagrant dishonesty. — from fraud
The cheat and impostor endeavor to make something out of those they may deceive. — from hypocrite
The cheat is the inferior and more mercenary, as the thimble-rig gambler; the impostor may aspire to a fortune or a throne. — from hypocrite