The origin is not known with certainty, although first attested in 1775 C.E. in British criminals' slang. It is probably from feak, feague (“to give a better appearance through artificial means, spruce up, embellish”), itself from German Low German fegen, from Middle Low German vēgen, from Old Saxon fegōn, from Proto-West Germanic *fegōn (“to clean up, polish”).
Akin to Dutch veeg (“a swipe”), Dutch vegen (“to sweep, wipe”); German fegen (“to sweep, to polish”). Compare also Old English fācn (“deceit, fraud”). Perhaps related also to Old Norse fjúka (“to fade, vanquish, disappear”), Old Norse feikn (“strange, scary, unnatural”).
Meanings
Not real; false, fraudulent.
The truth panic had the unwelcome side-effect of emboldening those it sought to oppose. “Fake” was one of Trump’s favourite slap-downs, especially to news outlets that reported unwelcome facts about him and his associates. A booming Maga media further amplified the president’s lies and denials. 2025 October 2, William Davies, “A critique of pure stupidity: understanding Trump 2.0”, in The Guardian:
Which fur coat looks fake?
Seeing Rossano Brazzi play an aristocratic White Russian, standing in the fakest snow that wartime supplies could buy, may be the most peculiar twist of all in the curious story of how Ayn Rand's autobiographical first novel came to the screen. 1988 November 25, Caryn James, “Ayn Rand Adaptation By Italian”, in The New York Times:
The origin is not known with certainty, although first attested in 1775 C.E. in British criminals' slang. It is probably from feak, feague (“to give a better appearance through artificial means, spruce up, embellish”), itself from German Low German fegen, from Middle Low German vēgen, from Old Saxon fegōn, from Proto-West Germanic *fegōn (“to clean up, polish”).
Akin to Dutch veeg (“a swipe”), Dutch vegen (“to sweep, wipe”); German fegen (“to sweep, to polish”). Compare also Old English fācn (“deceit, fraud”). Perhaps related also to Old Norse fjúka (“to fade, vanquish, disappear”), Old Norse feikn (“strange, scary, unnatural”).
Meanings
Something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently.
Among other interesting and weighty opinions, which were in general agreement with our contentions, was one by Mr. H. A. Staddon of Goodmayes, a gentleman who had made a particular hobby of fakes in photography. His report is too long and too technical for inclusion, but, under the various headings of composition, dress, development, density, lighting, poise, texture, plate, atmosphere, focus, halation, he goes very completely into the evidence, coming to the final conclusion that when tried by all these tests the chances are not less than 80 per cent. in favour of authenticity. 1922, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Coming of the Fairies:
I suspect this passport is a fake.
A move meant to deceive an opposing player, used for gaining advantage for example when dribbling an opponent.
de Trug (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ko 가짜 (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · km របស់ក្លែង (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · cmn 贗品 /赝品 (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · it falsificazione (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · sw feki (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · hi नक़ल (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · bo རྫུས་མ (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ja 偽 (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ota یالان (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · de Schwindel (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · be фэйк (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · tr gastan (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · fr contrefaçon (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · pt falsificação (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · it imitazione (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · be фальшы́ўка (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · es falsificación (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · de Fälschung (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · es doblete (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · de Irreführung (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · pt falso (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · vi hàng nhái (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ru фейк (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · th ของปลอม (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · th ของเถื่อน (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · de Illusion (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ru ли́па (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · es falso (impostor) · fa ماخ (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · pl fejk (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · id gadungan (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · fr faux (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · fi väärennös (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ru подде́лка (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · fa جعل (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · de Imitat (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ja ぱちもん (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · sw bandia (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · bg фалшифика́т (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ru фэйк (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · id tiruan (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · be падро́бка (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · uk фальши́вка (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · uk ли́па (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · uk підро́бка (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · vi hàng giả (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ja 偽物 (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · az geydirmə (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · sv förfalskning (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · be лі́па (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · uk фейк (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · it contraffazione (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · tr feyk (a deceptive move) · ml കപടം (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · ru фальши́вка (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently) · it falso (something which is not genuine, or is presented fraudulently)
The origin is not known with certainty, although first attested in 1775 C.E. in British criminals' slang. It is probably from feak, feague (“to give a better appearance through artificial means, spruce up, embellish”), itself from German Low German fegen, from Middle Low German vēgen, from Old Saxon fegōn, from Proto-West Germanic *fegōn (“to clean up, polish”).
Akin to Dutch veeg (“a swipe”), Dutch vegen (“to sweep, wipe”); German fegen (“to sweep, to polish”). Compare also Old English fācn (“deceit, fraud”). Perhaps related also to Old Norse fjúka (“to fade, vanquish, disappear”), Old Norse feikn (“strange, scary, unnatural”).
Meanings
(transitive) To make a counterfeit, to counterfeit, to forge, to falsify.
(transitive) To make a false display of, to affect, to feign, to simulate.
to fake happiness
to fake a marriage
"She constantly faked being sick, and perhaps mistakenly, I indulged her more than I should have, pretending I couldn't tell. But I AM a teacher myself, so it's kind of hard to just let this slide." 2013, Jocelyn Samara D., Rain, volume 1, →ISBN, page 193:
The pitcher faked a throw to first base.
to fake a smile
(archaic) To cheat; to swindle; to steal; to rob.
(archaic) To modify fraudulently, so as to make an object appear better or other than it really is.
He had a hundred similar tricks, but I never knew him fake a horse, or sell one as sound if it was not. 1944, George Henderson, The Farming Ladder:
(ambitransitive) To improvise, in jazz.
Occasionally the opportunity arises to stand up and "fake" a jazz standard. 1994, ITA Journal, volume 22, page 20:
In the face of this print music culture, 'faking' was the ability—at once respected and disrespected—to improvise a song (or a part in an arrangement) without reading the notation. Denning, cited in 2020, Matt Brennan, Kick It: A Social History of the Drum Kit (page 110)
pass off (make a false display) · adulterate (modify fraudulently) · pose (make a false display)
Translations (69)
de imitieren (counterfeit, falsify) · de fingieren (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · sv fejka (make a false display of) · pl upozorowywać (make a false display of) · bg подпра́вям (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · ja 騙す (cheat, swindle) · ru притвори́ться (make a false display of) · ko 위조하다 (counterfeit, falsify) · nl voorwenden (make a false display of) · ja 偽造する (counterfeit, falsify) · ja 欺く (cheat, swindle) · ja 偽装する (make a false display of) · ru подде́лывать (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · ang līċettan (make a false display of) · es falsear (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · ja 改竄する (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · de vortäuschen (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · ru подде́лывать (counterfeit, falsify) · th ปลอม (counterfeit, falsify) · fi parannella (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · ru прики́нуться (make a false display of) · bg подпра́вя (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · fi filmata (make a false display of) · pt falsificar (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · fr fausser (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · de simulieren (make a false display of) · cmn 偽裝 /伪装 (make a false display of) · ru подде́лать (counterfeit, falsify) · ru притворя́ться (make a false display of) · th ปลอมแปลง (counterfeit, falsify) · ru подде́лать (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · ca falsejar (counterfeit, falsify) · es falsificar (counterfeit, falsify) · vi gian lận (cheat, swindle) · es falsificar (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · vi nhái (counterfeit, falsify) · pl upozorować (make a false display of) · es fingir (make a false display of) · fi huijata (cheat, swindle) · es falsear (counterfeit, falsify) · be падрабля́ць (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · es fintear (make a false display of) · de fingieren (make a false display of) · ja 騙る (cheat, swindle) · fr fausser (counterfeit, falsify) · de fälschen (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · fi väärentää (counterfeit, falsify) · uk підробля́ти (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · uk підроби́ти (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · be падрабі́ць (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · es fintar (make a false display of) · fi feikata (make a false display of) · de türken (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · vi ngụy trang (make a false display of) · vi làm giả (modify fraudulently to make sth. look better) · bg фалшифици́рам (counterfeit, falsify) · sl pretvarjati se (make a false display of) · sl ponarediti (counterfeit, falsify) · vi làm giả (counterfeit, falsify) · cmn 偽造 /伪造 (make a false display of) · ru прики́дываться (make a false display of) · vi ngụy tạo (make a false display of) · fi tekeytyä (make a false display of) · fi teeskennellä (make a false display of) · de fälschen (counterfeit, falsify) · sl hliniti (make a false display of) · de vortäuschen (make a false display of) · fi olla olevinaan (make a false display of) · pt falsear (counterfeit, falsify)
Inherited from Middle English faken (“to coil a rope”).
Meanings
To coil (a rope, line, or hawser), by winding alternately in opposite directions, in layers usually of zigzag or figure of eight form, to prevent twisting when running out.
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
fakes
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
faking
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
faked
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
faked
Tense=Past
lexicographic
Translations (6)
bg нави́вам въже́ (wind) · es adujar (wind) · it dugliare (wind) · fr lover (wind) · fi kiepittää (wind) · fi kieputtaa (wind)