Rorted

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To exploit or manipulate a situation unethically for personal gain
2. Engaging in fraudulent practices to extract benefits unfairly
3. Using deceitful methods to take advantage of circumstances for advantage

Etymology: "Rorted" is the past tense and past participle of "rort," an Australian slang verb meaning to cheat or manipulate a system for personal gain, as in rorting an expense claim or a voting scheme. The verb is probably a back-formation from "rorty," an older adjective meaning boisterous, rowdy, saucy, or somewhat risqué. Back-formation works in reverse: speakers saw the adjective ending as a suffix and stripped it off to make a new verb, so the noun or adjective comes first and the verb is derived from it. The link between "rowdy" and "cheating" is not obvious, which is part of what makes the word interesting. "Rorty" describes lively, unruly behaviour, and the verb picked up the sense of playing a game with the rules bent. The word started as slang and has since moved into everyday Australian English, especially in news reporting about politics and public spending.

Synonyms: cheated, defrauded, swindled, scammed, conned

Antonyms: honored, respected, abided, complied