false

adjective

1 UNTRUE a statement, story, etc that is false is completely untrue: Please decide whether the following statements are true or false. | false accusations

2 WRONG based on incorrect information or ideas: I don't want to give you any false hopes. | We often make false assumptions about people of other cultures. | a false sense of security (=a feeling of being safe when you are not really safe): It's easy to feel a false sense of security if crime never touches you personally.

3 NOT REAL

a) not real, but intended to seem real and deceive people: a suitcase with a false bottom | The man had given a false name and address.

b) artificial : false teeth/hair/eyelashes etc: Oh no! Grandad's lost his false teeth again.

4 NOT SINCERE not sincere or honest, and pretending to have feelings that you do not really have: She's very false. | a false laugh | false modesty: “You played brilliantly.” “Not really,” Ian replied with false modesty.

5 one false move used when warning someone that if they disobey you, make a mistake, or move suddenly something very bad will happen to them: One false move, and I'll shoot!

6 under false pretences if you get something under false pretences, you get it by deceiving people: He was accused of obtaining money under false pretences.

7 false imprisonment/arrest the illegal act of putting someone in prison or arresting (arrest2) them for a crime they have not done

8 false economy something that you think will save money but which will really cost you more: It's a false economy not to have travel insurance on your belongings.

9 false friend a word in a foreign language that seems similar to one in your own, so that you wrongly think they both mean the same thing

10 sail/fly under false colours to pretend to be something that you are not