Obs. Forms: 4–5 fallas, 5 falace, 4–7 fallace. [a. F. fallace, ad. L. fallācia, f. fallax: see next.]

1

  1.  Deception, trickery, falsehood; deceitfulness; an instance of the same; = FALLACY 1, 2.

2

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3664 (Cott.).

        If mi fader þat es now blind
Mai mi fallace oght vnderfind.

3

1388.  Wyclif, Matt. xiii. 22. The fallace of ritchessis strangulith the word.

4

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, H iv. The fallaces and vanytees of the world.

5

1599.  Hakluyt, Voy., II. II. 73. Lyes and fallaces that they did write.

6

a. 1634.  Chapman, Alphonsus, Plays, 1873, III. 235. Bohem. Nay without fallace they have several Beds.

7

  2.  A sophistical argument; = FALLACY 3.

8

1532.  More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 637/2. A goodly false foolishe fallace, to begile the poore unlearned people.

9

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xiv. § 6. Socrates, himselfe, who professing to affirme nothing, but to infirme that which was affirmed by another, hath exactly expressed all the fourmes of objection, fallace and redargution.

10