English Dictionary |
BILK
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
IPA (US): |
Dictionary entry overview: What does bilk mean?
• BILK (verb)
The verb BILK has 4 senses:
1. cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
2. hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
4. escape, either physically or mentally
Familiarity information: BILK used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
Conjugation: |
Past simple: bilked
Past participle: bilked
-ing form: bilking
Sense 1
Meaning:
Cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "bilk" is one way to...):
cheat; chisel; rip off (deprive somebody of something by deceit)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody of something
Sentence example:
They bilk him of all his money
Sense 2
Meaning:
Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
baffle; bilk; cross; foil; frustrate; queer; scotch; spoil; thwart
Context example:
foil your opponent
Hypernyms (to "bilk" is one way to...):
forbid; foreclose; forestall; preclude; prevent (keep from happening or arising; make impossible)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bilk"):
disappoint; let down (fail to meet the hopes or expectations of)
dash (destroy or break)
short-circuit (hamper the progress of; impede)
ruin (destroy or cause to fail)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sense 3
Meaning:
Evade payment to
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Context example:
He bilked his creditors
Hypernyms (to "bilk" is one way to...):
deprive (keep from having, keeping, or obtaining)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Sense 4
Meaning:
Escape, either physically or mentally
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
Context example:
The event evades explanation
Hypernyms (to "bilk" is one way to...):
break loose; escape; get away (run away from confinement)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
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