Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COZ'EN, v.t. [cuz'n; Qu. Arm. couçzyein, couchiein, concheza, to cheat, or to waste and fritter away. In Russ. kosnodei is a cheat. Qu. chouse and cheat.]

1. To cheat; to defraud. He that suffers a government to be abused by carelessness and neglect, does the same thing with him that corruptly sets himself to cozen it. – L'Estrange.
2. To deceive; to beguile. Children may be cozened into a knowledge of the letters. – Locke.