BILK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bilk mean? 

• BILK (verb)
  The verb BILK has 4 senses:

1. cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money

2. hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

3. evade payment to

4. escape, either physically or mentally

  Familiarity information: BILK used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BILK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they bilk    ... he / she / it bilks   
Past simple: bilked   
Past participle: bilked   
-ing form: bilking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "bilk" is one way to...):

cheat; chisel; rip off (deprive somebody of something by deceit)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody of something

Sentence example:

They bilk him of all his money

Sense 2

Meaning:

Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

baffle; bilk; cross; foil; frustrate; queer; scotch; spoil; thwart

Context example:

foil your opponent

Hypernyms (to "bilk" is one way to...):

forbid; foreclose; forestall; preclude; prevent (keep from happening or arising; make impossible)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bilk"):

disappoint; let down (fail to meet the hopes or expectations of)

dash (destroy or break)

short-circuit (hamper the progress of; impede)

ruin (destroy or cause to fail)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Evade payment to

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

He bilked his creditors

Hypernyms (to "bilk" is one way to...):

deprive (keep from having, keeping, or obtaining)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Escape, either physically or mentally

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

bilk; elude; evade

Context example:

The event evades explanation

Hypernyms (to "bilk" is one way to...):

break loose; escape; get away (run away from confinement)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody