cozen

present singular third person cozens · participle present cozening · participle past cozened · past cozened

1. intransitiveTo become cozy; (by extension) to become acquainted, comfortable, or familiar with.

   A wasp nest cozened up in the corner of the far ceiling.

   2013, Rick Cox, Orphan Moon, page 180

   2 more examples

   "As I see it, Master Fraser, a 'bairn' ought to be verra concerned when a mon thrice her age cozens up to her."

   2008, Hannah Howell, Silver Flame, page 354

   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.

   2013, Kim Stanley Robinson, The Wild Shore, page 26

present singular third person cozens · participle present cozening · participle past cozened · past cozened · alternative obsolete coosen · alternative obsolete coosin · alternative obsolete cosen

1. archaicTo cheat; to defraud; to deceive, usually by small arts, or in a pitiful way.First known use late 16th c.

   What diuell was't / That thus hath couſend you at hoodman-blinde?

   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[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 271

   5 more examples

   […] good Vulcan, for Cupids sake that hath cousned us all: befriend us as thou maiest […]

   c. 1590 (date written), G[eorge] P[eele], The Old Wiues Tale. […], London: […] Iohn Danter, for Raph Hancocke, and Iohn Hardie, […], published 1595, →OCLC

   [I]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 […]

   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

   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;[…].

   (Can we date this quote?), “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

   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.

   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

   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.

   1914, Rafael Sabatini, The Gates of Doom, published 2001, page 217

   Synonyms: beguile, abuse, beglammer, counterfeit, deceive, catch, trap into, dissemble

1. A surname.