bilk
bilk — noun
1. a person who tricks others out of their money or property through dishonesty
a person who tricks others out of their money or property through dishonesty
The charming guest was a bilk who swindled elderly people out of their life savings.
countable noun referring to a person
Newspapers called the banker a notorious bilk who stole millions before fleeing the country.
pre-modifier: notorious bilk
The police arrested five bilks who were running a fake charity to collect donations.
No one trusted him after learning he was a bilk who cheated his own relatives.
- swindler
the standard modern term for someone who cheats others of money
- con artist
informal, emphasises psychological manipulation
- fraudster
formal, often used in legal or news contexts
用法筆記
Very rare in modern English; 'swindler' or 'con artist' is far more common. Usually appears in literary or journalistic writing.
常見錯誤
bilk — verb
- bilkpresent simple I / you / we / they
- bilkshe / she / it
- bilkedpast simple
- bilking-ing form
1. to take someone's money or property by using lies or dishonest methods, often th
to take someone's money or property by using lies or dishonest methods, often through a planned scheme
The contractor bilked elderly homeowners out of thousands for repairs he never completed.
bilk + person + out of + money
A fake advisor bilked his clients by putting their savings into companies that did not exist.
bilk + person + by + method
An online seller bilked customers by taking payments but never sending the goods they ordered.
Rohan discovered that his business partner had bilked the company of over two million dollars.
Authorities arrested the couple for bilking investors through a fraudulent charity scheme.
- compensate
to pay back fairly what is owed
文法句型
bilk + person + out of + money
bilk + person + of + money
用法筆記
Often found in the pattern 'bilk someone out of something'. The object is typically money, savings, or property. This is the most common surviving sense of the word.
常見錯誤
2. to avoid paying money that you legally owe to a person or organisation
to avoid paying money that you legally owe to a person or organisation
The restaurant owner bilked the tax authorities by reporting only half of his actual earnings.
bilk + authority + by + method
Dahlia's landlord tried to bilk her by keeping her security deposit without any valid reason.
bilk + person owed
Several factories were fined for bilking their workers of overtime wages.
A group of students bilked the university by taking student loans and dropping out immediately.
- evade
more neutral; avoids the dishonest connotation
- default on
specific to failing to meet a financial obligation
- dodge
informal; avoiding something one does not want to do
- pay up
informal; to pay money that is owed in full
文法句型
bilk + financial obligation
bilk + person owed
用法筆記
The object is usually a person or organisation that money is owed to, or the debt itself. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 focuses on taking money by fraud; sense 2 focuses on refusing to pay what is due.
常見錯誤
3. to escape or get away from someone, especially by moving quickly or quietly when
to escape or get away from someone, especially by moving quickly or quietly when they are not paying full attention
The thief bilked the guard by slipping out through a back window.
bilk + guard + by + method phrase
Kian bilked his babysitter by climbing out of his bedroom window and running to the park.
The cat bilked the dog by darting under the fence and into the neighbour's garden.
Despite a police helicopter overhead, the wanted man bilked his trackers and reached the border.
- elude
more formal; suggests skill or cleverness in escaping
- dodge
informal and common; quick physical avoidance
- slip away from
emphasizes quiet or unnoticed departure
- face
to confront someone rather than avoid them
文法句型
bilk + pursuer / guard
用法筆記
This sense is now very rare and may sound old-fashioned. The more common modern word for this meaning is 'dodge', 'slip away from', or 'elude'.
常見錯誤
4. to prevent someone from making progress or from achieving something they are try
to prevent someone from making progress or from achieving something they are trying to do
Heavy storms bilked the climbers' attempt to reach the mountain summit before nightfall.
bilk + attempt / effort
New government regulations bilked the company's plans to expand into the Asian market.
Jabari's knee injury bilked his hopes of competing in the national championships that year.
Constant interference from the head office bilked the local team's efforts to improve efficiency.
- aid
to help or support someone's efforts
- facilitate
formal; to make something easier to achieve
文法句型
bilk + plans / efforts / hopes
用法筆記
This sense carries a literary or formal tone. The object is an abstract noun such as an attempt, plan, effort, or hope. Distinguish from sense 1-2: the hindering is not necessarily about money.