Abuse & Manipulation

to take advantage of a position to make oneself rich, particularly by using unfair or dishonest methods

The corrupt politician used his position to feather his own nest by accepting bribes.

to be comparable to someone who is very evil

He's a brilliant scientist, but he holds a candle to the devil when it comes to ethics.

to gain advantage over others by making use of one's contacts and influence in an unfair way

He was able to get that job so quickly because he pulled some strings with his uncle, who works in the company.

to avoid doing something bad or unethical for the sake of achieving something good

She refused to lie on the witness stand, even though it might have helped her case.She believes in not doing any evil that good may come out of it.

about to do something bad or evil

I saw those kids hanging out near the abandoned building again; they must be up to no good.

to try to gain advantage by flattery or submissive behavior

She tried to curry favor with the boss by constantly complimenting his ideas.

to use various dishonest or complicated methods in order to gain things, particularly in politics or business

He's been wheeling and dealing in the real estate market for years, always finding the best opportunities.

to be placed in a difficult position by believing something that is not true or trusting someone who lies

She fell into a trap set by online scammers who promised easy money.

a small furry animal with rounded ears, short legs and no tail, which is often kept as a pet or for research

He cleaned the guinea pig’s cage every week.

a lawyer who finds clients at the scenes of accidents or other tragedies, especially with the intention of earning money through legal action

I don't trust those ambulance chasers who keep calling us after the car accident.They seem more interested in making money than helping us.

to do something unfair in order to make a particular outcome more probable

He tried to load the dice by giving the exam questions to his friends in advance, but they got caught cheating.

to make use of a thief or criminal just to be able to anticipate, understand, or capture other criminals or thieves

We've actually begun employing prominent members of the hacking community to improve our cyber security, setting thieves to catch thieves, as it were.

to arrange situations or conditions to achieve a preferred result by giving oneself an unfair advantage

The manager stacked the deck by giving all the best assignments to his favorite employees.

to manipulate or control someone easily, typically by making them obediently follow one's commands or desires

Despite being highly skilled and knowledgeable, the new manager was easily led around by the nose by the more experienced employees.

to engage in activities or behaviors that involve deception, manipulation, or deceit in order to achieve a particular outcome, often at the expense of others

I can't trust him because he always plays games with people's feelings.

to convince someone to do something that seems unnecessary or redundant, especially to buy something they do not need

John could sell ice to Eskimos; he's an incredibly persuasive salesperson.