chouse

American

[chous] / tʃaʊs /

verb (used with object)

choused, chousing

to swindle; cheat (often followed by of orout of ).

noun

a swindle.
Archaic. a swindler.
Archaic. a dupe.

Other Word Forms

chouser noun

Etymology

Origin of chouse

First recorded in 1600–10; perhaps to be identified with chiaus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Obviously, the bishop is a bidone, a small-time swindler, and the camera has just watched him chouse some country chumpkins.

From Time Magazine Archive

G. Text has "et ce est mout sçue chouse"; Pauthier's Text, "mais il est moult celé" The latter seems absurd.

From The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Yule, Henry

“As plain as a pike-staff,” said Bliss; “and you’re a little brick, Evson; and it’s a chouse if any one suspects Elgood any more.”

From St. Winifred's, or The World of School by Earnshaw, H. C. (Harold C.)

What was this your Contrivance, to abuse, trick, and chouse me of my Child!

From The Busie Body by Byrd, Jess

Mr. Arledge has to buy so many gold cigarettes and vintages and trouserings, and belong to so many clubs, that he wants the Court to help him chouse a poor grocer out of his money.

From The Spenders A Tale of the Third Generation by Wilson, Harry Leon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023