Dishonesty, n.
Etymology: [Cf. OF. deshonesté, F. déshonnêteté.]
1. Dishonor; dishonorableness; shame. [Obs.] "The hidden things of dishonesty." 2 Cor. iv. 2.
2. Want of honesty, probity, or integrity in principle; want of fairness and straightforwardness; a disposition to defraud, deceive, or betray; faithlessness.
3. Violation of trust or of justice; fraud; any deviation from probity; a dishonest act.
4. Lewdness; unchastity. Shak.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for dishonesty; he lists it under fraud.
Where he writes about it:
All action that is not honest is dishonesty, but the term dishonesty is generally applied in business, politics, etc., to deceitful practises which are not directly criminal. — from fraud
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
Treachery is chiefly used of dishonesty in matters of friendship, social relations, government, or war; treachery may be more harmful than fraud, but is not so gross, and is not ordinarily open to legal redress. — from fraud