cozener

English

Alternative forms

(16th century): cosener, cosiner, cousoner, coosener, cossoner, cousener
(17th century): cos’ner, cosener, cosiner, couzener, coz’ner, cozoner

Etymology

cozen (“cheat, defraud”) +‎ -er

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) enPR: kŭʹzənər, kŭzʹnər, IPA^(key): /ˈkʌzənə/, /ˈkʌznə/

Noun

cozener (plural cozeners)

An imposter, a swindler.
- 1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of King Lear:
  The usurer hangs the cozener.
- 1993, Richard Burt, Licensed by authority: Ben Jonson and the discourses of censorship:
  Yet the difference between players and cozeners was not always secure.

Related terms

References

“cozener” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]

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