bilk Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
  2. verb hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
    thwart; cross; frustrate; baffle; foil; spoil; queer; scotch.
    • What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge
    • foil your opponent
  3. verb evade payment to
    • He bilked his creditors
  4. verb escape, either physically or mentally
    elude; evade.
    • The thief eluded the police
    • This difficult idea seems to evade her
    • The event evades explanation

WordNet

Bilk transitive verb
Etymology
Origin unknown. Cf. Balk.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Bilked present participle & verbal noun Bilking
Definitions
  1. To frustrate or disappoint; to deceive or defraud, by nonfulfillment of engagement; to leave in the lurch; to give the slip to; as, to bilk a creditor. Thackeray.
Bilk noun
Definitions
  1. A thwarting an adversary in cribbage by spoiling his score; a balk.
  2. A cheat; a trick; a hoax. Hudibras.
  3. Nonsense; vain words. B. Jonson.
  4. A person who tricks a creditor; an untrustworthy, tricky person. Marryat.

Webster 1913