cheat code

American  

[cheet kohd] / ˈtʃit ˌkoʊd /

noun

1. a hidden command, code, etc., that a video gamer unlocks and uses to gain an advantage in a game, such as by advancing levels or enhancing a character’s strengths.

   These cheat codes are programmed into the software and exist as remnants of development or as purposefully hidden rewards.

2. a ploy or technique that bypasses traditional methods or rules in order to improve oneself or one’s success.

   We don’t know what sort of cheat code he may have discovered to pass the audition, but his mediocre talent sure has us wondering.

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Etymology

Origin of cheat code

First recorded in 1990–95