ploy

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

ploy, n. 

 Sport; frolic.  [1913 Webster]

ploy, v. i. [Prob. abbrev. fr. deploy.].

 To form a column from a line of troops on some designated subdivision; -- the opposite of deploy.  Wilhelm.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

ploy, n. colloq. a stratagem; a cunning manoeuvre to gain an advantage.

Etymology

orig. Sc., 18th c.: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

ploy

Byzantine intrigues, art, artful dodge, artifice, backstairs influence, bag of tricks, bat, bender, binge, blind, bluff, bosey, bout, bust, carousal, carouse, catch, celebration, chicanery, chouse, connections, conspiracy, contrivance, coup, craft, curve, curve-ball, cute trick, deals, debauch, deceit, design, device, dirty deal, dirty trick, dodge, drinking bout, escapade, expedient, fakement, fast deal, feint, fetch, ficelle, fling, gambit, game, games, gimmick, googly, grift, hocus-pocus, influence peddling, intrigue, intrigues, joker, juggle, jugglery, knavery, lark, little game, lobbying, lobbyism, maneuver, move, orgy, pass, play, plot, ploys, racket, randan, randy, red herring, revel, ropes, ruse, scheme, schemes, scurvy trick, shift, sleight, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, spree, stratagem, strategy, strings, subterfuge, tactic, tear, toot, trick, trickery, wile, wily device, wingding, wire-pulling, wires