ruse

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

ruse, n. [F., fr. OF. reÜser, rehuser, to turn aside, to shuffle, retreat, fr. L. recusare to refuse; pref. re- again + causa cause. See Cause, and cf. Recusant.].

 An artifice; trick; stratagem; wile; fraud; deceit.  [1913 Webster]

∥Ruse de guerre ( [F.], a stratagem of war.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

ruse, n. a stratagem or trick.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. ruser drive back, perh. ult. f. L rursus backwards: cf. RUSH(1)

THESAURUS

ruse

art, artful dodge, artifice, bag of tricks, blind, bluff, bosey, catch, chicanery, chouse, conspiracy, contrivance, coup, craft, curve, curve-ball, cute trick, deceit, deception, design, device, dirty deal, dirty trick, dodge, expedient, fakement, fast deal, feint, fetch, ficelle, gambit, game, gimmick, googly, grift, hoax, hocus-pocus, imposture, intrigue, jig, joker, juggle, jugglery, knavery, little game, maneuver, move, pass, plot, ploy, pretext, racket, red herring, scheme, scurvy trick, shift, sleight, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, stratagem, strategy, subterfuge, tactic, trick, trickery, wile, wily device

ROGET THESAURUS

ruse

Cunning

N cunning, craft, cunningness, craftiness, subtlety, artificiality, maneuvering, temporization, circumvention, chicane, chicanery, sharp practice, knavery, jugglery, concealment, guile, doubling, duplicity, foul play, diplomacy, politics, Machiavelism, jobbery, backstairs influence, art, artifice, device, machination, plot, maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile, trick, trickery, ruse, ruse de guerre, finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion, white lie, juggle, tour de force, tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers, espieglerie, net, trap, Ulysses, Machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard, Scotchman, Jew, Yankee, intriguer, intrigant, floater, Indian giver, keener, repeater, cunning, crafty, artful, skillful, subtle, feline, vulpine, cunning as a fox, cunning as a serpent, deep, deep laid, profound, designing, contriving, intriguing, strategic, diplomatic, politic, Machiavelian, timeserving, artificial, tricky, tricksy, wily, sly, slim, insidious, stealthy, underhand, subdolous, deceitful, slippery as an eel, evasive, crooked, arch, pawky, shrewd, acute, sharp, sharp as a tack, sharp as a needle, canny, astute, leery, knowing, up to snuff, too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff, tactful, diplomatic, politic, polite, cunningly, slyly, slily, on the sly, by a side wind, diamond cut diamond, a' bis ou a blanc, fin contre fin, something is rotten in the state of Denmark.