false

—falsely, adv. —falseness, n.

/fawls/, adj., falser, falsest, adv.

adj.

1. not true or correct; erroneous: a false statement.

2. uttering or declaring what is untrue: a false witness.

3. not faithful or loyal; treacherous: a false friend.

4. tending to deceive or mislead; deceptive: a false impression.

5. not genuine; counterfeit.

6. based on mistaken, erroneous, or inconsistent impressions, ideas, or facts: false pride.

7. used as a substitute or supplement, esp. temporarily: false supports for a bridge.

8. Biol. having a superficial resemblance to something that properly bears the name: the false acacia.

9. not properly, accurately, or honestly made, done, or adjusted: a false balance.

10. inaccurate in pitch, as a musical note.

adv.

11. dishonestly; faithlessly; treacherously: Did he speak false against me?

12. play someone false, to betray someone; be treacherous or faithless.

[bef. 1000; ME, OE fals < L falsus feigned, false, orig. ptp. of fallere to deceive; reinforced by or reborrowed from AF, OF fals, fem. false < L]

Syn. 1. mistaken, incorrect, wrong, untrue. 2. untruthful, lying, mendacious. 3. insincere, hypocritical, disingenuous, disloyal, unfaithful, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous. 4. misleading, fallacious. 5. artificial, spurious, bogus, forged. FALSE, SHAM, COUNTERFEIT agree in referring to something that is not genuine. FALSE is used mainly of imitations of concrete objects; it sometimes implies an intent to deceive: false teeth; false hair. SHAM is rarely used of concrete objects and usually has the suggestion of intent to deceive: sham title; sham tears. COUNTERFEIT always has the implication of cheating; it is used particularly of spurious imitation of coins, paper money, etc.

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