Literally, a catching or ensnaring. Hence, the misleading of a person; the leading of another person to believe what is false, or not to believe what is true, and thus to ensnare him; fraud; fallacy; cheat; any declaration, artifice or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false. My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. Job 27:4.

Stratagem; artifice; device intended to mislead. They imagine deceits all the day long. Psalm 38:12.

In scripture, that which is obtained by guile, fraud or oppression. Their houses are full of deceit. Jeremiah 5:27; Zephaniah 1:9.

In law, any trick, device, craft, collusion, shift, covin, or underhand practice, used to defraud another.