Definition

Noun: 1. The crime of falsely making or altering a document, signature, or work of art with the intent to deceive or defraud. This meaning focuses on the illegal act itself. 2. A copy or imitation of something that is presented as the genuine, original item. This meaning focuses on the fraudulent object that is produced by the act of forgery.

Usage

The word "forgery" is used to describe both the criminal action and the fraudulent item resulting from that action. It implies deliberate deception, usually for financial gain or to gain an unfair advantage.

Examples

• Referring to the crime:
  • He was arrested and charged with forgery after falsifying the checks.
  • The art expert testified that the painting was a clear case of forgery.
• Referring to the fraudulent item:
  • The museum discovered that the ancient manuscript was a clever forgery.
  • The signature on the contract was proven to be a forgery.

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: In law, "forgery" is a specific felony. The phrase "utter a forgery" means to offer, publish, or pass a forged document as if it were genuine.
  • He was convicted not only of forgery but also of uttering the forged documents.
• Art and Collectibles: The term is commonly used in contexts involving art, antiques, currency, and historical documents.
  • The auction house guarantees the authenticity of its items to protect buyers from forgeries.

Variants and Related Words

• Forge (verb): To make a fraudulent copy of something; to commit forgery.
  • The criminal forged the artist's signature on several paintings.
• Forger (noun): A person who commits forgery.
  • The forger was skilled at imitating 19th-century banknotes.

Synonyms

• Counterfeiting: Often used specifically for imitating currency or branded goods.
• Falsification: A broader term for making something false; can be less specific to documents.
• Fraud: A wider category of deception that includes forgery.
• Fake (noun): A more general term for anything that is not genuine.

Antonyms

• Original
• Authentic item
• Genuine article

Idioms and Common Phrases

• "A forgery of (something)": A common structure to specify what is being copied.
  • The letter was a forgery of the CEO's official stationery.

Noun

1. criminal falsification by making or altering an instrument with intent to defraud
2. a copy that is represented as the original