bilk
(redirected from bilks)Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.
bilk
(bĭlk)tr.v. bilked, bilk·ing, bilks
1.
a. To defraud, cheat, or swindle: made millions bilking wealthy clients on art sales.
b. To evade payment of: bilk one's debts.
2. To thwart or frustrate: "Fate ... may be to a certain extent bilked" (Thomas Carlyle).
3. To elude.
n.
1. One who cheats.
2. Obsolete A hoax or swindle.
[Perhaps alteration of balk.]
bilk′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
bilk
(bɪlk)vb (tr)
1. to balk; thwart
2. (often foll by of) to cheat or deceive, esp to avoid making payment to
3. to escape from; elude
4. (Card Games) cribbage to play a card that hinders (one's opponent) from scoring in his or her crib
n
5. a swindle or cheat
6. a person who swindles or cheats
[C17: perhaps variant of balk]
ˈbilker n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bilk
(bɪlk)v.t.
1. to defraud; cheat.
2. to evade payment of or to: to bilk a creditor.
3. to frustrate: a career bilked by poor health.
4. to escape from; elude.
n. 5. a cheat; swindler.
6. a trick; fraud; deceit.
[1625–35; of obscure orig.]
bilk′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
bilk
- A term originally used in cribbage, meaning "spoil one's opponent's score."See also related terms for spoil.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
bilk
Past participle: bilked
Gerund: bilking
| Imperative |
|---|
| bilk |
| bilk |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. |  bilk - cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money |
| 2. |  bilk - hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent"disappoint, let down - fail to meet the hopes or expectations of; "Her boyfriend let her down when he did not propose marriage" foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid - keep from happening or arising; make impossible; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project" dash - destroy or break; "dashed ambitions and hopes" short-circuit - hamper the progress of; impede; "short-circuit warm feelings" ruin - destroy or cause to fail; "This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election" | |
| 3. |  bilk - evade payment to; "He bilked his creditors"deprive - keep from having, keeping, or obtaining | |
| 4. |  bilk - escape, either physically or mentally; "The thief eluded the police"; "This difficult idea seems to evade her"; "The event evades explanation"escape, get away, break loose - run away from confinement; "The convicted murderer escaped from a high security prison" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
bilk
verb cheat, do (slang), skin (slang), fool, con (informal), stiff (slang), sting, mislead, rip off (slang), deceive, fleece, defraud, dupe, stitch up (slang), rook (slang), bamboozle (informal), hoodwink, double-cross (informal), diddle (informal), do the dirty on (Brit. informal), sell a pup to, pull a fast one on (informal), cozen (informal), trick, take in (informal), swindle, take for a ride (informal) trusts that secretly conspired to bilk the public
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
bilk
verbnoun
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007