Intrigue

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: in=trigue

CIDE DICTIONARY

Intrigue, v. i. [F. intriguer, OF. intriquer, entriquer; cf. It. intrigare. See Intricate, Extricate.].

•  To form a plot or scheme; to contrive to accomplish a purpose by secret artifice.  [1913 Webster]
•  To carry on a secret and illicit love or amour.  [1913 Webster]

Intrigue, v. t. 

 To fill with artifice and duplicity; to complicate; to embarrass.  [1913 Webster]
"How doth it [sin] perplex and intrique the whole course of your lives!"  [1913 Webster]

Intrigue, n. [Cf. F. intrique. See Intrigue, v. i.].

•  Intricacy; complication.  Sir M. Hale.  [1913 Webster]
•  A complicated plot or scheme intended to effect some purpose by secret artifice; conspiracy; stratagem.  [1913 Webster]

  "Busy meddlers with intrigues of state."  [1913 Webster]
•  The plot of a play or romance; a complicated scheme of designs, actions, and events.  Pope.  [1913 Webster]
•  A secret and illicit love affair between two persons of different sexes; an amour; a liaison.  [1913 Webster]

  "The hero of a comedy is represented victorious in all his intrigues."

Syn. -- Plot; scheme; conspiracy; machination.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Intrigue, v. & n.
--v. (intrigues, intrigued, intriguing)
1 intr. (foll. by with) a carry on an underhand plot. b use secret influence.
2 tr. arouse the curiosity of; fascinate.
--n.
1 an underhand plot or plotting.
2 archaic a secret love affair.

Derivative

intriguer n. intriguing adj. (esp. in sense 2 of v.). intriguingly adv.

Etymology

F intrigue (n.), intriguer (v.) f. It. intrigo, intrigare f. L (as INTRICATE)

THESAURUS

Intrigue

Byzantine intrigues, absorb, adulterous affair, adultery, affair, amor, amour, angle, appeal, art, artful dodge, artfulness, artifice, attract, backstairs influence, becharm, beguile, bewitch, blind, brew, cabal, captivate, carry away, cast a spell, charm, chicanery, cogitate, collogue, collude, collusion, complicity, complot, concoct, confederacy, connections, connivance, connive, conspiracy, conspire, contrivance, contrive, contriving, cook up, countermine, counterplot, coup, covin, craft, craftiness, credibility gap, cuckoldry, cute trick, deals, deceit, deceitfulness, deception, deep-laid plot, design, device, devise, disingenuousness, dodge, double-dealing, enchant, engineer, engineering, enrapture, enravish, entanglement, enthrall, entrance, eternal triangle, excite, expedient, fakement, falseheartedness, fascinate, feint, fetch, finagle, finagling, finesse, flirtation, forbidden love, forswearing, frame, frame up, frame-up, fraud, gambit, game, games, gerrymander, gimmick, grift, guile, hanky-panky, hatch, hatch a plot, hatch up, hypnotize, illicit love, infatuate, infidelity, influence peddling, insincerity, interest, intimacy, intrigues, jockey, jugglery, knavery, lay a plot, liaison, little game, lobbying, lobbyism, love affair, machinate, machination, maneuver, maneuvering, manipulate, manipulation, mesmerize, move, operate, perjury, pique, play games, plot, plotting, ploy, ploys, practice, pull strings, racket, red herring, rig, rigging, romance, romantic tie, ropes, ruse, scheme, schemery, schemes, scheming, sharp practice, shift, sleight, spell, spellbind, stratagem, strategy, strings, subterfuge, tactic, titillate, transport, triangle, trick, trickery, uncandidness, uncandor, underplot, unfaithfulness, unfrankness, unsincereness, untruthfulness, vamp, wangle, web of intrigue, wile, wily device, wire-pulling, wires, witch

ROGET THESAURUS

Intrigue

Plan

N plan, scheme, design, project, proposal, proposition, suggestion, resolution, motion, precaution, deep- laid plan, system, organization, germ, sketch, skeleton, outline, draught, draft, ebauche, brouillon, rough cast, rough draft, draught copy, copy, proof, revise, drawing, scheme, schematic, graphic, chart, flow chart (representation), forecast, program, programme, prospectus, carte du pays, card, bill, protocol, order of the day, list of agenda, bill of fare, base of operations, platform, plank, slate, ticket, role, policy, contrivance, invention, expedient, receipt, nostrum, artifice, device, pipelaying, stratagem, trick, alternative, loophole, shift, last shift, measure, step, stroke, stroke of policy, master stroke, trump card, court card, cheval de bataille, great gun, coup, coup d'etat, clever stroke, bold stroke, good move, good hit, good stroke, bright thought, bright idea, intrigue, cabal, plot, conspiracy, complot, machination, subplot, underplot, counterplot, schemer, schemist, schematist, strategist, machinator, projector, artist, promoter, designer, conspirator, intrigant, planned, strategic, strategical, planning, prepared, in course of preparation, under consideration, on the tapis, on the carpet, on the floor.

VB plan, scheme, design, frame, contrive, project, forecast, sketch, devise, invent, set one's wits to work, spring a project, fall upon, hit upon, strike out, chalk out, cut out, lay out, map out, lay down a plan, shape out a course, mark out a course, predetermine, concert, preconcert, preestablish, prepare, hatch, hatch a plot concoct, take steps, take measures, cast, recast, systematize, organize, arrange, digest, mature, plot, counter-plot, counter-mine, dig a mine, lay a train, intrigue.

Activity

N activity, briskness, liveliness, animation, life, vivacity, spirit, dash, energy, snap, vim, nimbleness, agility, smartness, quickness, velocity, alacrity, promptitude, despatch, dispatch, expedition, haste, punctuality, eagerness, zeal, ardor, perfervidum aingenium, empressement, earnestness, intentness, abandon, vigor, devotion, exertion, industry, assiduity, assiduousness, sedulity, laboriousness, drudgery, painstaking, diligence, perseverance, indefatigation, habits of business, vigilance, wakefulness, sleeplessness, restlessness, insomnia, pervigilium, insomnium, racketing, movement, bustle, stir, fuss, ado, bother, pottering, fidget, fidgetiness, flurry, officiousness, dabbling, meddling, interference, interposition, intermeddling, tampering with, intrigue, press of business, no sinecure, plenty to do, many irons in the fire, great doings, busy hum of men, battle of life, thick of the action, housewife, busy bee, new brooms, sharp fellow, sharp blade, devotee, enthusiast, zealot, meddler, intermeddler, intriguer, busybody, pickthank, hummer, hustler, live man, rustler, active, brisk, brisk as a lark, brisk as a bee, lively, animated, vivacious, alive, alive and kicking, frisky, spirited, stirring, nimble, nimble as a squirrel, agile, light-footed, nimble-footed, featly, tripping, quick, prompt, yare, instant, ready, alert, spry, sharp, smart, fast, quick as a lamplighter, expeditious, awake, broad awake, go-ahead, live wide-awake, forward, eager, strenuous, zealous, enterprising, in earnest, resolute, industrious, assiduous, diligent, sedulous, notable, painstaking, intent, indefatigable, unwearied, unsleeping, never tired, plodding, hard-working, businesslike, workaday, bustling, restless, restless as a hyena, fussy, fidgety, pottering, busy, busy as hen with one chicken, working, at work, on duty, in harness, up in arms, on one's legs, at call, up and doing, up and stirring, busy, occupied, hard at work, hard at it, up to one's ears in, full of business, busy as a bee, busy as a one-armed paperhanger, meddling, meddlesome, pushing, officious, overofficious, intrigant, astir, stirring, agoing, afoot, on foot, in full swing, eventful, on the alert, actively, with life and spirit, with might and main &c, with haste, with wings, full tilt, in mediis rebus, Int, be alive, look alive, look sharp!, move on, push on!, keep moving!, go ahead!, stir your stumps!, age quod agis!, jaldi!, karo!, step lively!, carpe diem, seize the day, nulla dies sine linea, nec mora nec requies, the plot thickens, No sooner said than done, veni vidi vici, catch a weasel asleep, abends wird der Faule fleissig, dictum ac factum, schwere Arbeit in der Jugend ist sanfte Ruhe im Al, hard work in youth means soft rest in age, the busy hum of men.

VB be active, busy oneself in, stir, stir about, stir one's stumps, bestir oneself, rouse oneself, speed, hasten, peg away, lay about one, bustle, fuss, raise up, kick up a dust, push, make a push, make a fuss, make a stir, go ahead, push forward, fight one's way, elbow one's way, make progress, toll, plod, persist, keep up the ball, keep the pot boiling, look sharp, have all one's eyes about one, rise, arouse oneself, hustle, get up early, be about, keep moving, steal a march, kill two birds with one stone, seize the opportunity, lose no time, not lose a moment, make the most of one's time, not suffer the grass to grow under one's feet, improve the shining hour, make short work of, dash off, make haste, do one's best take pains, do wonders, work wonders, have many irons in the fire, have one's hands full, have much on one's hands, have other things to do, have other fish to fry, be busy, not have a moment to spare, not have a moment that one can call one's own, have one's fling, run the round of, go all lengths, stick at nothing, run riot, outdo, overdo, overact, overlay, overshoot the mark, make a toil of a pleasure, have a hand in, take an active part, put in one's oar, have a finger in the pie, mix oneself up with, trouble, one's head about, intrigue, agitate, tamper with, meddle, moil, intermeddle, interfere, interpose, obtrude, poke one's nose in, thrust one's nose in.

Cunning

VB be cunning, have cut one's eyeteeth, contrive, live by one's wits, maneuver, intrigue, gerrymander, finesse, double, temporize, stoop to conquer, reculer pour mieux sauter, circumvent, steal a march upon, overreach, throw off one's guard, surprise, snatch a verdict, waylay, undermine, introduce the thin end of the wedge, play a deep game, play tricks with, ambiguas in vulgum spargere voces, flatter, make things pleasant, have an ax to grind, dodge, sidestep, bob and weave.

Impurity

N impurity, uncleanness, immodesty, grossness, indelicacy, indecency, impudicity, obscenity, ribaldry, Fescennine, smut, bawdry, double entente, equivoque, concupiscence, lust, carnality, flesh, salacity, pruriency, lechery, lasciviency, lubricity, Sadism, sapphism, incontinence, intrigue, faux pas, amour, amourette, gallantry, debauchery, libertinish, libertinage, fornication, liaison, wenching, venery, dissipation, seduction, defloration, defilement, abuse, violation, rape, incest, prostitution, social evil, harlotry, stupration, whoredom, concubinage, cuckoldom, adultery, advoutry, crim, con, free love, seraglio, harem, brothel, bagnio, stew, bawdyhouse, cat house, lupanar, house of ill fame, bordel, bordello, impure, unclean, not to be mentioned to ears polite, immodest, shameless, indecorous, indelicate, indecent, Fescennine, loose, risque, coarse, gross, broad, free, equivocal, smutty, fulsome, ribald, obscene, bawdy, pornographic, concupiscent, prurient, lickerish, rampant, lustful, carnal, carnal-minded, lewd, lascivious, lecherous, libidinous, erotic, ruttish, salacious, Paphian, voluptuous, goatish, must, musty, unchaste, light, wanton, licentious, debauched, dissolute, of loose character, of easy virtue, frail, gay, riggish, incontinent, meretricious, rakish, gallant, dissipated, no better than she should be, on the town, on the streets, on the pave, on the loose, adulterous, incestuous, bestial.

VB be impure, intrigue, debauch, defile, seduce, prostitute, abuse, violate, deflower, commit adultery.