cozen

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word cozen. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word cozen, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say cozen in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word cozen you have here. The definition of the word cozen will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofcozen, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology 1

From coz(y) +‎ -en.

Pronunciation

Verb

cozen (third-person singular simple present cozens, present participle cozening, simple past and past participle cozened)

  1. (intransitive) To become cozy; (by extension) to become acquainted, comfortable, or familiar with.
    • 2008, Hannah Howell, Silver Flame, page 354:
      "As I see it, Master Fraser, a 'bairn' ought to be verra concerned when a mon thrice her age cozens up to her."
    • 2013, Rick Cox, Orphan Moon, page 180:
      A wasp nest cozened up in the corner of the far ceiling.
    • 2013, Kim Stanley Robinson, The Wild Shore, page 26:
      I heard someone at the swap meet say they were going to cozen up to someone, and someone else told me my sales pitch was a filibuster.
Usage notes
  • Usually used with up.

Etymology 2

Perhaps from obsolete Italian cozzonare (to cheat), from cozzone (middleman, broker), from Latin cōciō (dealer).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Verb

cozen (third-person singular simple present cozens, present participle cozening, simple past and past participle cozened)

  1. (archaic) To cheat; to defraud; to deceive, usually by small arts, or in a pitiful way.
    Synonyms: beguile; see also Thesaurus:deceive
    • c. 1590 (date written), G P, The Old Wiues Tale. , London: Iohn Danter, for Raph Hancocke, and Iohn Hardie, , published 1595, →OCLC:
      [] good Vulcan, for Cupids sake that hath cousned us all: befriend us as thou maiest []
    • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 271:
      What diuell was't / That thus hath couſend you at hoodman-blinde?
    • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 8, in The History of Pendennis. , volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, , published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
      t was resolved that he was to do his duty; that is, to redeem his vow; that is, to pay a debt cozened from him by a sharper []
    • a. 1668 (date written), Jeremy Taylor, “Of Christian Simplicity”, in Reginald Heber, editor, The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor, D.D. , volume VI, London: Ogle, Duncan, and Co. ; and Richard Priestley, , published 1822, →OCLC, page 163:
      It is certain that children may be cozened into goodness, and sick men to health, and passengers in a storm into safety; and the reason of these is, — because not only the end is fair, and charitable, and just, but the means are such which do no injury to the persons which are to receive benefit; [] .
    • 1866, “Spoils, By a Receiver”, in Charles Chauncey Burr, editor, The Old Guard: A Monthly Journal Devoted to the Principles of 1776 and 1787, volume 4, page 497:
      The man, too, who has been matrimonially cozened, "would all the world might be cozened," for he has been cozened, and beaten too; but with him the cudgel is "hallowed;" he would "hang it o'er the altar;" perhaps for the reason given by the "Merry Wives of Windsor," because "it hath done meritorious service;" and no sooner is he, by a seemingly merciful disposition of Providence, released from the cudgeler, but he is in haste to be cozened and beaten again.
    • 1914, Rafael Sabatini, The Gates of Doom, published 2001, page 217:
      But that you should have been cozened with me, that my cozening should in part have been a natural sequel to your own, rather than an independent error of mine, is a helpful reflection to me in this dark hour.
Usage notes

Modern usage is generally to affect a dated style.

Translations

References