coun|ter|feit

coun|ter|feit «KOWN tuhr fiht», adjective, verb, noun.

–adj.

1. not genuine; sham: »

a counterfeit coin, counterfeit stamps. Counterfeit jewels are made of paste.

SYNONYM(S): spurious, forged, fraudulent. See syn. under false. (Cf. ↑false)

2. pretended; dissembled: »

an arrogant counterfeit rascal (Shakespeare).

SYNONYM(S): feigned, simulated.

–v.t.

1. to copy (money, pictures, or handwriting) in order to deceive; forge: »

He was sent to prison for counterfeiting five-dollar bills.

2. to resemble closely: »

a sleep so deep as to counterfeit death.

3. to pretend; dissemble: »

She counterfeited interest to be polite.

–v.i.

1. to make counterfeits, as of money.

2. to practice deceit; use pretense: »

Are you not mad indeed, or do you but counterfeit? (Shakespeare).

–n.

1. something copied and passed as genuine; forgery: »

his ten-dollar bill looks genuine, but it is a counterfeit. This chest, though made to look like an antique, is plainly a counterfeit.

2. Archaic. a) a copy. b) an image; likeness; portrait: »

What find I here? Fair Portia's counterfeit (Shakespeare).

3. Obsolete. an impostor.

╂[< Old French contrefait imitated, past participle of contrefaire < contre- against (< Latin contrā-) + faire make < Latin facere]