Pious fraud

Fraud Fraud (fr[add]d), n. [F. fraude, L. fraus, fraudis; prob. akin to Skr. dh[=u]rv to injure, dhv[.r] to cause to fall, and E. dull.] 1. Deception deliberately practiced with a view to gaining an unlawful or unfair advantage; artifice by which the right or interest of another is injured; injurious stratagem; deceit; trick. [1913 Webster]

If success a lover's toil attends, Few ask, if fraud or force attained his ends. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

2. (Law) An intentional perversion of truth for the purpose of obtaining some valuable thing or promise from another. [1913 Webster]

3. A trap or snare. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

To draw the proud King Ahab into fraud. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

{Constructive fraud} (Law), an act, statement, or omission which operates as a fraud, although perhaps not intended to be such. --Mozley & W.

{Pious fraud} (Ch. Hist.), a fraud contrived and executed to benefit the church or accomplish some good end, upon the theory that the end justified the means.

{Statute of frauds} (Law), an English statute (1676), the principle of which is incorporated in the legislation of all the States of this country, by which writing with specific solemnities (varying in the several statutes) is required to give efficacy to certain dispositions of property. --Wharton.

Syn: Deception; deceit; guile; craft; wile; sham; strife; circumvention; stratagem; trick; imposition; cheat. See {Deception}. [1913 Webster]