Word: bilk (verb)

Associations

The word "bilk" means to cheat or trick someone, usually by not paying money that you owe or by avoiding a responsibility. It is often used when someone tries to get money unfairly or escape paying a debt.

• Example 1: "He bilked the company out of thousands of dollars." Here, someone cheated the company by taking money unfairly.
• Example 2: "The scam artist bilked people by selling fake tickets." This means the person tricked others to get their money.
• Example 3: "She bilked her creditors by hiding her assets." This means she avoided paying money she owed by dishonest means.

Synonym: "cheat" is a common synonym. The difference is that "bilk" often focuses on money or financial trickery, while "cheat" can be more general (like cheating on a test or in a game).

Substitution

Instead of "bilk," you can use:

• cheat (more general)
• defraud (more formal and legal)
• swindle (emphasizes tricking)
• scam (informal, often about fraud)

Each word changes the tone a little. For example, "swindle" sounds more like a clever trick, while "defraud" is more legal.

Deconstruction

"Bilk" comes from old English or possibly Italian "bilcare," meaning to cheat or defraud. It is a simple verb without prefixes or suffixes.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where someone might bilk another person?
• How is bilking different from just forgetting to pay a bill?
• Have you ever heard stories about scams or bilking in your country? What happened?