be·guile

(bĭ-gīl′)

tr.v. be·guiled, be·guil·ing, be·guiles

1. To deceive by guile or charm: beguiled unwary investors.

2. To deprive (someone) of something by guile or deceit; cheat: a disease that has beguiled me of strength.

3. To distract the attention of; divert: "to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming" (Abraham Lincoln).

4. To amuse or charm; delight or fascinate. See Synonyms at charm.

5. To pass (time) pleasantly.

[Middle English bigilen : bi-, be- + gilen, to deceive; see guile.]

be·guile′ment n.

be·guil′er n.

be·guil′ing·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	beguiler - someone who leads you to believe something that is not true cheater, deceiver, trickster, cheat, slicker offender, wrongdoer - a person who transgresses moral or civil law bluffer, four-flusher - a person who tries to bluff other people chiseler, chiseller, defrauder, grifter, scammer, swindler, gouger - a person who swindles you by means of deception or fraud decoy, steerer - a beguiler who leads someone into danger (usually as part of a plot) dodger, slyboots, fox - a shifty deceptive person double-crosser, double-dealer, traitor, two-timer, betrayer - a person who says one thing and does another defalcator, embezzler, peculator - someone who violates a trust by taking (money) for his own use falsifier - someone who falsifies finagler, wangler - a deceiver who uses crafty misleading methods counterfeiter, forger - someone who makes copies illegally fortune hunter - a person who seeks wealth through marriage front man, nominal head, straw man, strawman, figurehead, front - a person used as a cover for some questionable activity dissembler, dissimulator, hypocrite, phoney, phony, pretender - a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives imitator, impersonator - someone who (fraudulently) assumes the appearance of another faker, imposter, impostor, pseud, pseudo, role player, sham, shammer, pretender, fraud, fake - a person who makes deceitful pretenses liar, prevaricator - a person who has lied or who lies repeatedly misleader - someone who leads astray (often deliberately) charlatan, mountebank - a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes obscurantist - a person who is deliberately vague sandbagger - someone who deceives you about his true nature or intent in order to take advantage of you two-timer - someone who deceives a lover or spouse by carrying on a sexual relationship with somebody else utterer - someone who circulates forged banknotes or counterfeit coins
	2.	beguiler - a person who charms others (usually by personal attractiveness) charmer individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" heartbreaker - a charming person who is irresponsible in emotional relationships

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References in periodicals archive

He is, after all, seducer, beguiler, and in some manner master of the terrifying "angels"--potentially fallen angels--who seem to be denuding the earth and devouring its inhabitants.

What rough beast? Denunciation and annunciation in Jo Sung-Hee's End of Animal

Dashiel Woolf is thrilled when famous magician Bloom the Beguiler brings him onstage during a special performance to mark the 85th anniversary of Houdini's death.

Saving Houdini

But the old beguiler gets around my doubts-- If only she would spout That blessing that the children hope and fear I'd throw myself into that shower.

Elephant Water