COUNTERFEIT, verb transitive 1. To forge; to copy or imitate, without authority or right, and with a view to deceive or defraud, by passing the copy or thing forged, for that which is original or genuine; as, to counterfeit coin, bank notes, a seal, a bond, a deed or other instrument in writing, the hand writing or signature of another, etc. To make a likeness or resemblance of any thing with a view to defraud. 2. To imitate; to copy; to make or put on a resemblance; as, to counterfeit the voice of another person; to counterfeit piety. COUNTERFEIT, verb intransitive To feign; to dissemble; to carry on a fiction or deception. COUNTERFEIT, adjective 1. Forged; fictitious; false; fabricated without right; made in imitation of something else, with a view to defraud, by passing the false copy for genuine or original; as counterfeit coin; a counterfeit bond or deed; a counterfeit bill or exchange. 2. Assuming the appearance of something; false; hypocritical; as a counterfeit friend. 3. Having the resemblance of; false; not genuine; as counterfeit modesty. COUNTERFEIT, noun 1. A cheat; a deceitful person; one who pretends to be what he is not; one who personates another; an imposter. 2. In law, one who obtains money or goods by counterfeit letters or false tokens. 3.That which is made in imitation of something, but without lawful authority, and with a view to defraud, by passing the false for the true. We say, the note is a counterfeit
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI