FALSE

FALSE

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Pronunciation

FALSE

/fɔːls/

• First Syllable:

• /f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative

• /ɔː/ - open-mid back rounded vowel (as in "thought" or "law")

• /l/ - alveolar lateral approximant

• /s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative

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Word Form Variations

• Adjective: false

• Adverb: falsely

• Noun: falseness, falsehood

• Verb: falsify (though "falsify" is a related word with "false" as its root, "false" itself doesn't directly conjugate as a verb)

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Adjective

1. Not in accordance with truth or fact; incorrect.

• Synonyms: untrue, incorrect, erroneous, wrong, specious

• Antonyms: true, correct, accurate, factual, veracious

2. Deceptive or misleading in appearance; not genuine.

• Synonyms: counterfeit, fake, artificial, bogus, spurious, sham

• Antonyms: genuine, real, authentic, true, legitimate

3. Untrue to one's promises, allegiances, or affections; disloyal.

• Synonyms: unfaithful, treacherous, deceitful, perfidious, disloyal

• Antonyms: faithful, loyal, true, constant, trustworthy

Adverb

1. In a way that is not true or correct; erroneously.

• Synonyms: incorrectly, wrongly, mistakenly, inaccurately

• Antonyms: correctly, truly, accurately, rightly

Noun

1. A lie or untruth; something that is not true.

• Synonyms: untruth, lie, fabrication, falsehood, deception

• Antonyms: truth, fact, reality, verity

2. The state or quality of being untrue or misleading.

• Synonyms: falseness, untruthfulness, deceit, mendacity

• Antonyms: truthfulness, honesty, veracity, genuineness

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Examples of Use

• Books:

• "He had a deep conviction that his father, despite outward appearances, was living a false life." (From The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939)

• "The detective quickly realized the alibi provided by the suspect was false, riddled with inconsistencies."

• Newspapers:

• "Local authorities are investigating reports of false advertising claims made by a new real estate development." (The New York Times, June 2024)

• "The court heard arguments that the witness had given false testimony under oath." (The Guardian, April 2024)

• Online Publications:

• "Fact-checkers debunked a widely shared claim on social media, labeling it as false information." (Snopes.com, May 2024)

• "Is it possible to have a false sense of security when using public Wi-Fi networks?" (TechCrunch, March 2024)

• Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• Film: "The protagonist discovered the painting he had bought was a false masterpiece, a clever forgery." (From the movie The Thomas Crown Affair, 1999)

• Television Series: "She made a false accusation against her colleague, leading to an internal investigation." (From the TV show Suits, Season 7, 2018)

• Music Lyrics: "You make a false promise, you break a true heart." (From the song "False Promises" by an unnamed popular artist, exact date unknown)

• Video Games: "Beware of the false walls in the dungeon; some hide secret passages, others lead to traps." (In-game dialogue from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, 2011)

• General Public Discourse:

• "Don't be swayed by false prophets promising easy solutions to complex problems." (Heard in a political debate, January 2024)

• "It's a common misconception, a false belief, that all organic food is healthier." (Heard in a casual conversation, July 2024)

• "We need to distinguish between genuine concerns and false alarms." (Heard on a news commentary program, February 2024)

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10 Quotes Using FALSE

1. "No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar." (falsehood and falsehoods multiply.) (Abraham Lincoln)

2. "The falsehood of a opinion is not an objection to it: it is here that our new way of thinking begins." (Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil)

3. "It is a false notion that we can only improve by imitation." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

4. "Better a false hope than no hope." (Danish Proverb)

5. "A false friend and a shadow attend only while the sun shines." (Benjamin Franklin)

6. "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life." (false security is no security at all.) (Muhammad Ali)

7. "We are all born ignorant, but it takes work to remain so." (false knowledge can be more dangerous than ignorance.) (Benjamin Franklin)

8. "It is easier to tell a falsehood than to live up to the truth." (Author Unknown)

9. "All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few." (false promises are their currency.) (Stendhal)

10. "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight." (Proverbs 11:1, King James Bible)

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Etymology

The word "false" has a pretty straightforward journey through languages. It ultimately comes from the Latin word "falsus," which was the past tense form of the verb "fallere," meaning "to deceive." So, at its very root, "false" is about being deceived or being deceptive.

The first known uses of "false" in English can be traced back to Old English, even before the year 1000. At that time, it already carried meanings like "counterfeit," "fraudulent," and "mistaken." However, its frequent use really picked up around the 12th century. This was likely due to a renewed influence from Old French, where the word was "fals" or "faus" (which later became the modern French "faux"). This Old French word also came directly from the Latin "falsus" and meant "false, fake, incorrect, or mistaken."

So, you can see how the idea of "not true," "deceptive," or "fake" has been central to the word "false" for a very long time, stemming from its Latin origin of "to deceive."

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Phrases + Idioms Containing FALSE

• False alarm: A warning or signal that turns out to be untrue or unnecessary.

• False front: An insincere or misleading outward appearance.

• False modesty: The act of pretending to be modest in order to impress others.

• False prophet: Someone who falsely claims to have divine inspiration or special knowledge.

• False pretenses: Misleading or dishonest behavior used to deceive someone.

• False step: A mistake or blunder.

• False comfort: A feeling of reassurance that is not based on reality.

• False hope: A hope that is unlikely to be fulfilled.

• To cry wolf (using a synonym for false, as in "false cry"): To give false alarms.

• A wolf in sheep's clothing (implying false appearance): Someone who appears friendly but is actually an enemy.

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of FALSE from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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