English Dictionary
Definition of “dupe”
dupe (djuːp
)
Definitions
noun
- a person who is easily deceived
- a person who unwittingly serves as the tool of another person or power
verb
- (tr) to deceive, esp by trickery; make a dupe or tool of; cheat; fool
Alternative Forms
ˈdupable adjective ˌdupaˈbility noun ˈduper noun ˈdupery noun Word Origin
C17: from French, from Old French duppe, contraction of de huppe of (a) hoopoe (from Latin upupa); from the bird's reputation for extreme stupidity
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
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deceive,
trick,
cheat,
con,
kid,
sting,
rip off,
hoax,
defraud,
beguile,
gull,
delude,
swindle,
outwit,
bamboozle,
hoodwink,
take for a ride,
pull a fast one on
cozen,
scam,
Usage examples
Herself - well, she knew she wasn't an agent: therefore, a dupe.
Brandon, Ruth, Left, Right and Centre (1986)But Sule manages to dupe the police and kidnaps his object of desire.
India Today (1996)New Zealand passports also helped foreign students dupe academic institutions about their citizenship to avoid paying high fees.
New Zealand Herald (2003)It has been claimed that SS men acted as prisoners to dupe the delegation about conditions.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Call me a dupe , but I seem to like most of the Serbs I have met, and feel sorry for them.
Boris Johnson, LEND ME YOUR EARS (2003)
