different between gyp vs beguile

English

Etymology 1

Perhaps from the term gypsy (“Roma”), due to a stereotype of the Roma as swindlers. Compare jew (“defraud”), from Jew, and welsh (“swindle by defaulting on a debt”), from Welsh.

Alternative forms

• gip, jip (eye dialect spellings)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d???p/
• Rhymes: -?p

Noun

gyp (plural gyps)

1. (derogatory, sometimes offensive) A cheat or swindle; a rip-off.

   Why do we have to buy this new edition of the textbook when there’s almost no difference between it and the previous one? What a gyp!

2. Synonym of gypsy (“contra dance step”)

Usage notes

Because this term is often considered to derive from the exonymic term Gypsy and represent a racist stereotype of the Romani, it may be offensive. See the usage note about gypsy.

Translations

Verb

gyp (third-person singular simple present gyps, present participle gypping, simple past and past participle gypped)

1. (derogatory, sometimes offensive) To cheat or swindle someone or something inappropriately.

   The cab driver gypped me out of ten bucks by taking the longer route.

   You better watch out; they'll try to gyp you if you don't know what you're doing.

Usage notes

See the notes about the noun, above.

Etymology 2

Perhaps the same as Etymology 1. An earlier theory derived the term from Ancient Greek ??? (gúps, “vulture”) (/?ýps/; compare Greek ????? (gýpas) /??i.pas/), "in reference to thievish habits of the servants" (and then derived Etymology 1 thence), but this does not explain the pronunciation.

Noun

gyp (plural gyps)

1. (Cambridge and Durham, England, now chiefly historical) A college servant, one who would attend upon a number of students, brushing their clothes, carrying parcels, waiting at parties and other tasks, distinct from a college porter or bedder.
   • 1887, H. Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, 1919, Longmans, page 15,

     'Why, what is the matter with you, John?' I asked of the gyp who waited on Vincey and myself.

   • 1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part I, I [Uniform ed., p. 14]:

     Had he acted discourteously to his bedmaker or his gyp, he would have minded just as much … .

2. (Cambridge and Durham, England) The room in which such college servants work.
3. (Cambridge and Durham, England) A small kitchen for use by college students.

Etymology 3

Shortening.

Noun

gyp (plural gyps)

1. Gypsophila.

Etymology 4

Perhaps from gee up.

Noun

gyp (plural gyps)

1. Pain or discomfort.

   My back's giving me gyp.

See also

• jew down
• welsh

References

• Gyp: Thieve, World Wide Words
• Etymology of "Gyp" / "gypped", Vocaboly.com

English

Alternative forms

• begyle [from the Middle English period through the 16th century]

Etymology

From Middle English begilen, begylen; equivalent to be- +? guile. Compare Middle Dutch begilen (“to beguile”). Doublet of bewile.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -a?l
• IPA^(key): /b???a?l/

Verb

beguile (third-person singular simple present beguiles, present participle beguiling, simple past and past participle beguiled)

1. (transitive) To deceive or delude (using guile).
   • a. 1608, William Shakespeare, King Lear, II, II, 102.

     I know, sir, I am no flatterer: he that beguiled you, in a plain accent, was a plain knave.

2. (transitive) To charm, delight or captivate.
   • 1864 November 21, Abraham Lincoln (signed) or John Hay, letter to Mrs. Bixby in Boston

     I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming.

   I will never touch The Orb, even though its mysterious glow seduces and beguiles.

3. (transitive) To cause (time) to seem to pass quickly, by way of pleasant diversion.

   We beguiled the hours away

Related terms

• wile

Translations

References

• beguile in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• beguile in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.