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cozen

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To deceive, cheat, or defraud through cunning trickery; to mislead by artful means, suggesting sly manipulation rather than obvious dishonesty.

Detailed Definition
“Cozen” implies intimate betrayal—lovers, friends, or merchants duping with charm. In satirical or dramatic poetry, it exposes hypocrisy or greed. The verb’s soft sounds mask its moral sharpness, suiting irony. Its archaic flavor enhances period authenticity in historical verse, where trust is fragile and deception wears a friendly face in courtly or commercial intrigue.
Example
Example in poetry:
"He cozened the widow of her land," in a satirical narrative; In Shakespeare’s Much Ado: "He is a very cozening knave"; "Cozen not thyself with false hopes," advises a moral epistle; "The flatterer cozened the king with honeyed words"; "Love cozened me into believing forever"; The gambler cozened all, yet lost his soul.
Additional Notes
“Cozen” implies sly, deceptive charm rather than brute fraud; in dramatic monologues or satires, it describes seducers, flatterers, or tricksters who exploit trust, linking cunning to moral ambiguity in character studies.
Also Known As
cheat deceive trick
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