Third person singular present tense of 'delude': to deceive or mislead someone or oneself, often without their full knowledge.
From Latin 'deludere' (to mock, deceive), composed of 'de-' (thoroughly) + 'ludere' (to play, trick). The modern English verb retains the sense of playing someone false.
When someone 'deludes themselves,' they're actually using their brain's incredible ability to ignore contradictory information—a survival mechanism that becomes a liability when we believe comforting lies!
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