This noun appears in Proverbs 26:26: "Though his hatred is covered with guile, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly." The term denotes deceit, dissimulation, or the false front that conceals true malice. Someone may smile and speak kindly while harboring murderous hatred—their guile creates a socially acceptable mask. But Proverbs insists such deception cannot last: eventually the assembly (public community) will see through the pretense and expose the underlying wickedness. The term may derive from a root related to usury or lending, suggesting the idea of false weights or deceptive measures—making things appear other than they are.