hoax English · revision 2439

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /həʊks/ ''(UK)''; /hoʊks/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably a contraction or alteration of [[hocus]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) which meant a conjurer or juggler (1630s–1640) and then a cheat;^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) ''hocus'' is itself a shortening of [[hocus-pocus]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As a verb, to deceive someone with an amusing or mischievous fabrication (1796).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun followed in 1808, for a humorous or mischievous deception.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) The word has broadened to any deliberate deception and to something established by fraud,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) and has lost much of its early playful tone.^(OED 1989)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1796 – verb, to deceive with a fabrication.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1808 – noun, a humorous or mischievous deception.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1869 – a person who is a fraud.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An act or trick meant to deceive.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Something accepted or established by fraud.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To deceive with a hoax.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[hoaxer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hocus-pocus]]

+ * [[hoodwink]]

+ * [[humbug]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House lists ''deception'', ''fraud'', ''fake'', ''imposture'' and ''humbug'' as synonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}