fraudulent

adj

Etymology: From Middle English fraudulent, from Old French fraudulent, from Latin fraudulentus, from fraus (“fraud”).

1. Dishonest; based on fraud or deception.

   “Secondly, Philoſophy which we are warned not to take heed of : not that Philoſophy, which is true & ſound knowledge attained by naturall diſcourſe of reaſon ; but that Philoſophy which to bolſter hereſie or error, caſteth a fraudulent ſhew of reaſon vpon things which are indeed vnreaſonable, & by that meane as by a ſtratageme ſpoyleth the ſimple which are not able to withſtand ſuch cunning.”

   “The only reaſon, why men are not always ſufficiently ſenſible of This ; ſo that Many, who are very Juſt in their Dealings between Man and Man, will yet be very fraudulent or rapacious with regard to the Publick ; is becauſe, in this latter caſe, ’tis not ſo obviouſly and immediately apparent uppon Whom the Injury falls, as it is in the caſe of Private Wrongs.”

2. False, phony.

   “He tried to pass a fraudulent check.”