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# deceive

verb (deceive, deceives, deceived, deceiving)

«deceive» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To deceive someone means to make them believe something that is not true, in order to trick them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#m1)
2. To deceive yourself means to refuse to believe a truth you don't like. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#m2)
3. Things can deceive us too: «Looks can deceive.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories it is what tricksters and villains do. In safety lessons it warns about scams and fake messages that try to deceive you. Phrases: «deceive someone into», «looks can be deceiving», «don't be deceived by».

### Examples

- The fox deceived the crow to get the cheese. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#x1)
- Scam emails try to deceive people into sending money. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#x2)
- Don't be deceived by the small size — it's heavy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#x3)
- Looks can be deceiving. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#x4)
- He deceived his friends about where he was. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#x5)
- Never try to deceive your parents about your safety. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#x6)
- ‘I know everything--you have deceived me. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/#x7)

### Note

Spelling: e before i after c — de-ceive. Noun: deception, deceit. Adjective: deceptive (misleading), deceitful (dishonest). Regular verb.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Torah it warns that the heart can be led astray into serving other gods. In Job and Proverbs it means to fool or mislead someone, even oneself, with false words or empty hopes.

**Interpretation.** Tradition reads the Torah verse as a warning that wealth and comfort can lure people away from God. It reads Proverbs as a ban on lying to a neighbor, and Job as teaching that even the deceived and the deceiver are in God's power.

### Examples

- Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; (Torah DEU.11.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/deceive/#x1)
- With Him is strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His. (Writings JOB.12.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/deceive/#x2)
- Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself; for vanity shall be his recompense. (Writings JOB.15.31, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/deceive/#x3)
- Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. (Writings PRO.24.28, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/deceive/#x4)

### Note

Spelling: e before i after c — de-ceive. Noun: deception, deceit. Adjective: deceptive (misleading), deceitful (dishonest). Regular verb.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «deceive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deceive/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«deceive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/deceive.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «deceive» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/deceive/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«deceive» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/deceive.html) on Mova free.