Trick

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Trick, n. [D. trek a pull, or drawing, a trick, trekken to draw; akin to LG. trekken, MHG. trecken, trechen, Dan. trække, and OFries. trekka. Cf. Track, Trachery, Trig, a., Trigger.].

•  An artifice or stratagem; a cunning contrivance; a sly procedure, usually with a dishonest intent; as, a trick in trade.  [1913 Webster]

  "He comes to me for counsel, and I show him a trick."  [1913 Webster]

  "I know a trick worth two of that."  [1913 Webster]
•  A sly, dexterous, or ingenious procedure fitted to puzzle or amuse; as, a bear's tricks; a juggler's tricks.  [1913 Webster]
•  Mischievous or annoying behavior; a prank; as, the tricks of boys.  Prior.  [1913 Webster]
•  A particular habit or manner; a peculiarity; a trait; as, a trick of drumming with the fingers; a trick of frowning.  [1913 Webster]

  "The trick of that voice I do well remember."  [1913 Webster]

  "He hath a trick of C"  [1913 Webster]
•  A knot, braid, or plait of hair.  B. Jonson.  [1913 Webster]
•  The whole number of cards played in one round, and consisting of as many cards as there are players.  [1913 Webster]

  "On one nice trick depends the general fate."  [1913 Webster]
•  A turn; specifically, the spell of a sailor at the helm, -- usually two hours.  [1913 Webster]
•  A toy; a trifle; a plaything.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Stratagem; wile; fraud; cheat; juggle; finesse; sleight; deception; imposture; delusion; imposition.

Trick, v. t. 

•  To deceive by cunning or artifice; to impose on; to defraud; to cheat; as, to trick another in the sale of a horse.  [1913 Webster]
•  To dress; to decorate; to set off; to adorn fantastically; -- often followed by up, off, or out.  Pope.  [1913 Webster]

  "People lavish it profusely in tricking up their children in fine clothes, and yet starve their minds."  [1913 Webster]

  "They are simple, but majestic, records of the feelings of the poet; as little tricked out for the public eye as his diary would have been."  [1913 Webster]
•  To draw in outline, as with a pen; to delineate or distinguish without color, as arms, etc., in heraldry.  [1913 Webster]

  "They forget that they are in the statutes: . . . there they are tricked, they and their pedigrees."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Trick, n. & v.
--n.
1 an action or scheme undertaken to fool, outwit, or deceive.
2 an optical or other illusion (a trick of the light).
3 a special technique; a knack or special way of doing something.
4 a a feat of skill or dexterity. b an unusual action (e.g. begging) learned by an animal.
5 a mischievous, foolish, or discreditable act; a practical joke (a mean trick to play).
6 a peculiar or characteristic habit or mannerism (has a trick of repeating himself).
7 a the cards played in a single round of a card-game, usu. one from each player. b such a round. c a point gained as a result of this.
8 (attrib.) done to deceive or mystify or to create an illusion (trick photography; trick question).
9 Naut. a sailor's turn at the helm, usu. two hours.
--v.tr.
1 deceive by a trick; outwit.
2 (often foll. by out of, or into + verbal noun) cheat; treat deceitfully so as to deprive (were tricked into agreeing; were tricked out of their savings).
3 (of a thing) foil or baffle; take by surprise; disappoint the calculations of.

Idiom

do the trick colloq. accomplish one's purpose; achieve the required result. how's tricks? colloq. how are you? not miss a trick see MISS(1). trick cyclist
1 a cyclist who performs tricks, esp. in a circus.
2 sl. a psychiatrist. trick of the trade a special usu. ingenious technique or method of achieving a result in an industry or profession etc. trick or treat esp. US a children's custom of calling at houses at Hallowe'en with the threat of pranks if they are not given a small gift. trick out (or up) dress, decorate, or deck out esp. showily. up to one's tricks colloq. misbehaving. up to a person's tricks aware of what a person is likely to do by way of mischief.

Derivative

tricker n. trickish adj. trickless adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF dial. trique, OF triche f. trichier deceive, of unkn. orig.

THESAURUS

Trick

ability, accomplishment, ace, action, ad hoc measure, affectation, airy nothing, alibi, anchor watch, answer, antic, apology, aroma, art, artful dodge, artifice, attribute, autism, automatism, bad habit, badge, bag of tricks, bamboozle, be effective, befool, beguile, best bower, betray, bilk, bit, blind, bluff, bosey, bower, brand, bubble, cabal, cachet, cajole, cantrip, caper, cards, cast, catch, catchy, character, characteristic, cheat, cheat on, chicane, chicanery, chimera, chouse, circumvent, cloak, clubs, collusion, color, command of language, complicity, complot, con, confederacy, configuration, conjure, connivance, conspiracy, contrivance, contriving, countermove, counterplot, coup, course of action, cover, cover story, cover-up, covin, cozen, craft, creature of habit, crotchet, curve, curve-ball, custom, cut, cute trick, day shift, daydream, deceit, deceive, deception, deck, deed, deep-laid plot, defective, defraud, delude, deluded belief, delusion, demarche, dereism, design, deuce, device, diamonds, diddle, dido, differentia, differential, dirty deal, dirty trick, distinctive feature, do the trick, dodge, dogwatch, double-cross, dream, dream vision, dreamland, dreamworld, dummy, dupe, earmark, eccentricity, effort, engineering, exaggeration, excuse, expedient, expression of ideas, facade, face cards, fake out, fakement, false belief, fashion, fast deal, feat, feature, feel, feeling for words, feint, fetch, ficelle, figure, fill the bill, finagling, finesse, flavor, flimflam, flush, foible, fool, force of habit, forestall, form of speech, frame-up, fraud, frolic, front, full house, full time, gag, gambit, game, gammon, get around, gift, gimmick, gloss, googly, grace of expression, grandiloquence, graveyard shift, grift, guise, gull, gust, habit, habit pattern, habitude, half time, hallmark, hand, handle, hang, have, hearts, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, hornswaggle, horseplay, humbug, idiocrasy, idiosyncrasy, ignis fatuus, illusion, imposture, impress, impression, improvisation, index, individualism, inflation, insecure, intrigue, jack, jape, jig, joker, juggle, jugglery, jury-rig, jury-rigged expedient, keynote, kid, king, knack, knave, knavery, lame excuse, last expedient, last resort, last shift, left bower, leg-pull, legerdemain, let down, lineaments, literary style, little game, lobster trick, locus standi, machination, magic, make merry with, makeshift, maneuver, maneuvering, manipulation, manner, manner of speaking, mannerism, mark, marking, mask, means, measure, minauderie, misbelief, mischief, misconception, misguide, misinform, mislead, mock, mode, mode of expression, mold, monkeyshines, move, nature, night shift, odor, ostensible motive, outmaneuver, outreach, outsmart, outwit, overreach, overtime, pack, pair, part time, particularity, pass, pattern, peculiar trait, peculiarity, personal style, picture cards, pigeon, pipe dream, pis aller, play one false, play pranks, play tricks, playing cards, plot, plotting, ploy, poor excuse, practical joke, practice, prank, praxis, pretense, pretension, pretext, property, protestation, public motive, put one on, put something over, put-off, quality, queen, quirk, racket, red herring, refuge, relay, resort, resource, rhetoric, rigging, rook, round, royal flush, rubber, ruff, ruse, savor, scheme, schemery, scheming, screen, scurvy trick, seal, second nature, secret, self-deceit, self-deception, self-delusion, semblance, shake-up, shaky, sham, shape, shenanigans, shift, show, singleton, singularity, skill, sleight, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, smack, smoke screen, snow, solution, spades, specialty, split schedule, split shift, spoof, sport, stalking-horse, stamp, step, stereotype, stereotyped behavior, stint, stopgap, straight, strain, stratagem, strategy, string along, stroke, stroke of policy, stunt, style, stylistic analysis, stylistics, subterfuge, suffice, sunrise watch, swindle, swing shift, tactic, taint, take, take in, tang, taste, technique, temporary expedient, the grand style, the plain style, the sublime, time, token, tomfoolery, touch, touchy, tour, tour of duty, trademark, trait, trey, trick of behavior, trickery, tricky, trip, trump, turn, turn of work, turn the trick, twist and turn, two-time, undependable, underplot, unreliable, unstable, untrustworthy, usage, use, vapor, varnish, veil, vein, victimize, waggish trick, watch, way, weakness, web of intrigue, wile, wily device, wire-pulling, wont, work, work shift, working hypothesis, working proposition, wrong impression

ROGET THESAURUS

Trick

Habit

N habit, habitude, assuetude, assuefaction, wont, run, way, common state of things, general state of things, natural state of things, ordinary state of things, ordinary course of things, ordinary run of things, matter of course, beaten path, beaten track, beaten ground, prescription, custom, use, usage, immemorial usage, practice, prevalence, observance, conventionalism, conventionality, mode, fashion, vogue, etiquette, order of the day, cry, conformity, consuetude, dustoor, one's old way, old school, veteris vestigia flammae, laudator temporis acti, rule, standing order, precedent, routine, red-tape, red-tapism, pipe clay, rut, groove, cacoethes, bad habit, confirmed habit, inveterate habit, intrinsic habit, addiction, trick, training, seasoning, second nature, acclimatization, knack, habitual, accustomary, prescriptive, accustomed, of daily occurrence, of everyday occurrence, consuetudinary, wonted, usual, general, ordinary, common, frequent, everyday, household, garden variety, jog, trot, well-trodden, well-known, familiar, vernacular, trite, commonplace, conventional, regular, set, stock, established, stereotyped, prevailing, prevalent, current, received, acknowledged, recognized, accredited, of course, admitted, understood, conformable, according to use, according to custom, according to routine, in vogue, in fashion, in, with it, fashionable, wont, used to, given to, addicted to, attuned to, habituated, in the habit of, habitue, at home in, seasoned, imbued with, devoted to, wedded to, hackneyed, fixed, rooted, deep-rooted, ingrafted, permanent, inveterate, besetting, naturalized, ingrained, habitually, always, as usual, as is one's wont, as things go, as the world goes, as the sparks fly upwards, more suo, more solito, ex more, as a rule, for the most part, usually, generally, typically, most often, most frequently, cela s'entend, abeunt studia in mores, adeo in teneris consuescere multum est, consuetudo quasi altera natura, hoc erat in more majorum, How use doth breed a habit in a man!, magna est vis consuetudinis, morent fecerat usus.

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.

Skill

N skill, skillfulness, address, dexterity, dexterousness, adroitness, expertness, proficiency, competence, technical competence, craft, callidity, facility, knack, trick, sleight, mastery, mastership, excellence, panurgy, ambidexterity, ambidextrousness, sleight of hand, seamanship, airmanship, marksmanship, horsemanship, rope-dancing, accomplishment, acquirement, attainment, art, science, technicality, technology, practical knowledge, technical knowledge, knowledge of the world, world wisdom, savoir faire, tact, mother wit, discretion, finesse, craftiness, management, self-help, cleverness, talent, ability, ingenuity, capacity, parts, talents, faculty, endowment, forte, turn, gift, genius, intelligence, sharpness, readiness, invention, aptness, aptitude, turn for, capacity for, genius for, felicity, capability, curiosa felicitas, qualification, habilitation, proficient, masterpiece, coup de maitre, chef d'euvre, tour de force, good stroke, skillful, dexterous, adroit, expert, apt, handy, quick, deft, ready, gain, slick, smart, proficient, good at, up to, at home in, master of, a good hand at, au fait, thoroughbred, masterly, crack, accomplished, conversant, experienced, practiced, skilled, hackneyed, up in, well up in, in practice, in proper cue, competent, efficient, qualified, capable, fitted, fit for, up to the mark, trained, initiated, prepared, primed, finished, clever, cute, able, ingenious, felicitous, gifted, talented, endowed, inventive, shrewd, sharp, on the ball, cunning, alive to, up to snuff, not to be caught with chaff, discreet, neat-handed, fine-fingered, nimble-fingered, ambidextrous, sure- footed, cut out for, fitted for, technical, artistic, scientific, daedalian, shipshape, workman- like, business-like, statesman-like, skillfully, well, artistically, with skill, with consummate skill, secundum artem, suo Marte, to the best of one's abilities, ars celare artem, artes honorabit, celui qui veut celui-la peut, c'est une grande habilite que de savoir cacher son, expertus metuit, es bildet ein Talent sich in der Stille sich ein C, heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, or the hand to execute, if you have lemons, make lemonade.

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.

Acquisition

N acquisition, gaining, obtainment, procuration, procurement, purchase, descent, inheritance, gift, recovery, retrieval, revendication, replevin, restitution, redemption, salvage, trover, find, trouvaille, foundling, gain, thrift, money-making, money grubbing, lucre, filthy lucre, pelf, loaves and fishes, the main chance, emolument, profit, earnings, winnings, innings, pickings, net profit, avails, income, proceeds, produce, product, outcome, output, return, fruit, crop, harvest, second crop, aftermath, benefit, sweepstakes, trick, prize, pool, pot, wealth, subreption, obreption, stealing, acquiring, acquired, profitable, advantageous, gainful, remunerative, paying, lucrative, lucri causa.

Deception

N deception, falseness, untruth, imposition, imposture, fraud, deceit, guile, fraudulence, fraudulency, covin, knavery, misrepresentation, bluff, straw-bail, straw bid, spoof, delusion, gullery, juggling, jugglery, slight of hand, legerdemain, prestigiation, prestidigitation, magic, conjuring, conjuration, hocus-pocus, escamoterie, jockeyship, trickery, coggery, chicanery, supercherie, cozenage, circumvention, ingannation, collusion, treachery, practical joke, trick, cheat, wile, blind, feint, plant, bubble, fetch, catch, chicane, juggle, reach, hocus, bite, card sharping, stacked deck, loaded dice, quick shuffle, double dealing, dealing seconds, dealing from the bottom of the deck, artful dodge, swindle, tricks upon travelers, stratagem, confidence trick, fake, hoax, theft, ballot-box stuffing, barney, brace game, bunko game, drop game, gum game, panel game, shell game, thimblerig, skin game, snare, trap, pitfall, decoy, gin, springe, springle, noose, hoot, bait, decoy-duck, tub to the whale, baited trap, guet-a-pens, cobweb, net, meshes, toils, mouse trap, birdlime, dionaea, Venus's flytrap, ambush, trapdoor, sliding panel, false bottom, spring-net, spring net, spring gun, mask, masked battery, mine, flytrap, green goods, panel house, Cornish hug, wolf in sheep's clothing, disguise, disguisement, false colors, masquerade, mummery, borrowed plumes, pattes de velours, mockery, copy, counterfeit, sham, make- believe, forgery, fraud, lie, a delusion a mockery and a snare, hollow mockery, whited sepulcher, painted sepulcher, tinsel, paste, junk jewelry, costume jewelry, false jewelry, synthetic jewels, scagliola, ormolu, German silver, albata, paktong, white metal, Britannia metal, paint, veneer, jerry building, man of straw, illusion, ignis fatuus, mirage, deceived, deceiving, cunning, prestigious, prestigiatory, deceptive, deceptious, deceitful, covinous, delusive, delusory, illusive, illusory, elusive, insidious, ad captandum vulgus, untrue, mock, sham, make-believe, counterfeit, snide, pseudo, spurious, supposititious, so-called, pretended, feigned, trumped up, bogus, scamped, fraudulent, tricky, factitious bastard, surreptitious, illegitimate, contraband, adulterated, sophisticated, unsound, rotten at the core, colorable, disguised, meretricious, tinsel, pinchbeck, plated, catchpenny, Brummagem, artificial, synthetic, ersatz, simulated, under false colors, under the garb of, under cover of, over the left, keep the word of promise to the ear and break it t, fronti nulla fides, ah that deceit should steal such gentle shapes, a quicksand of deceit, decipimur specie recti, falsi crimen, fraus est celare fraudem, lupus in fabula, so smooth, he daubed his vice with show of virtue.

VB deceive, take in, defraud, cheat, jockey, do, cozen, diddle, nab, chouse, play one false, bilk, cully, jilt, bite, pluck, swindle, victimize, abuse, mystify, blind one's eyes, blindfold, hoodwink, throw dust into the eyes, dupe, gull, hoax, fool, befool, bamboozle, flimflam, hornswoggle, trick, impose upon, practice upon, play upon, put upon, palm off on, palm upon, foist upon, snatch a verdict, bluff off, bluff, bunko, four flush, gum, spoof, stuff (a ballot box), circumvent, overreach, outreach, out wit, out maneuver, steal a march upon, give the go-by, to leave in the lurch decoy, waylay, lure, beguile, delude, inveigle, entrap, intrap, ensnare, nick, springe, set a trap, lay a trap, lay a snare for, bait the hook, forelay, spread the toils, lime, trapan, trepan, kidnap, let in, hook in, nousle, nousel, blind a trail, enmesh, immesh, shanghai, catch, catch in a trap, sniggle, entangle, illaqueate, hocus, escamoter, practice on one's credulity, hum, humbug, gammon, stuff up, sell, play a trick upon one, play a practical joke upon one, put something over on one, put one over on, balk, trip up, throw a tub to a whale, fool to the top of one's bent, send on a fool's errand, make game, make a fool of, make an April fool of, make an ass of, trifle with, cajole, flatter, come over, gild the pill, make things pleasant, divert, put a good face upon, dissemble, cog, cog the dice, load the dice, stack the deck, live by one's wits, play at hide and seek, obtain money under false pretenses, conjure, juggle, practice chicanery, deacon, play off, palm off, foist off, fob-off, lie, misinform, mislead, betray, be deceived.