trick

[ trik ]

noun

1. a crafty or underhanded device, maneuver, stratagem, or the like, intended to deceive or cheat; artifice; ruse; wile.

   Synonyms: deception

2. an optical illusion:

   It must have been some visual trick caused by the flickering candlelight.

3. a roguish or mischievous act; practical joke; prank:

   She likes to play tricks on her friends.

4. a mean, foolish, or childish action.
5. a clever or ingenious device or expedient; adroit technique:

   the tricks of the trade.

6. the art or knack of doing something skillfully:

   You seem to have mastered the trick of making others laugh.

7. a clever or dexterous feat intended to entertain, amuse, etc.:

   He taught his dog some amazing tricks.

8. a feat of magic or legerdemain:

   card tricks.

9. a behavioral peculiarity; trait; habit; mannerism.
10. a period of duty or turn; stint; tour of duty:

    I relieved the pilot after he had completed his trick at the wheel.

11. Cards.
    1. the group or set of cards played and won in one round.
    2. a point or scoring unit.
    3. a card that is a potential winner. Compare honor trick.
12. Informal. a child or young girl:

    a pretty little trick.

13. Slang.
    1. a prostitute's customer.
    2. a sexual act between a prostitute and a customer.
14. Heraldry.
    1. a preliminary sketch of a coat of arms.
    2. engraver's trick.

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characterized by, or involving tricks:

   trick shooting.

2. designed or used for tricks:

   a trick chair.

3. (of a joint) inclined to stiffen or weaken suddenly and unexpectedly:

   a trick shoulder.

verb (used with object)

1. to deceive by trickery.
2. Heraldry. to indicate the tinctures of (a coat of arms) with engravers tricks.
3. to cheat or swindle (usually followed by out of ):

   to trick someone out of an inheritance.

4. to beguile by trickery (usually followed by into ).

verb (used without object)

1. to practice trickery or deception; cheat.
2. to play tricks; trifle (usually followed by with ).
3. Slang. to engage in sexual acts for hire.

verb phrase

1. Informal. to embellish or adorn with or as if with ornaments or other attention-getting devices.

trick

/ trɪk /

noun

1. a deceitful, cunning, or underhand action or plan
2. 1. a mischievous, malicious, or humorous action or plan; joke

      the boys are up to their tricks again

   2. ( as modifier )

      a trick spider

3. an illusory or magical feat or device
4. a simple feat learned by an animal or person
5. an adroit or ingenious device; knack

   a trick of the trade

6. a behavioural trait, habit, or mannerism
7. a turn or round of duty or work
8. cards
   1. a batch of cards containing one from each player, usually played in turn and won by the player or side that plays the card with the highest value
   2. a card that can potentially win a trick
9. can't take a trick slang.
   to be consistently unsuccessful or unlucky
10. do the trick informal.
    to produce the right or desired result
11. how's tricks? slang.
    how are you?
12. turn a trick slang.
    (of a prostitute) to gain a customer

verb

1. to defraud, deceive, or cheat (someone), esp by means of a trick

Derived Forms

• ˈtrickless, adjective
• ˈtricker, noun

Other Words From

• tricker noun
• tricking·ly adverb
• outtrick verb (used with object)
• un·tricked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of trick¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English trik (noun), from Old North French trique “deceit,” derivative of trikier “to deceive,” from Vulgar Latin triccāre (unrecorded), from Latin trīcārī “to play tricks,” derivative of trīcae “hindrances, nonsense, trifles”; alternatively, perhaps from Middle Dutch trecken “to draw, pull” (compare modern Dutch trekken; trek ( def ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of trick¹

C15: from Old Northern French trique , from trikier to deceive, from Old French trichier , ultimately from Latin trīcārī to play tricks

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. do / turn the trick, to achieve the desired effect or result:

   Another turn of the pliers should do the trick.

2. turn a trick, Slang. (of a prostitute) to engage in a sexual act with a customer.

More idioms and phrases containing trick

• bag of tricks
• confidence game (trick)
• dirty tricks
• do the trick
• hat trick
• how's tricks
• not miss a trick
• teach an old dog new tricks
• that does it (the trick)
• turn a trick
• up to one's old tricks

Synonym Study

Trick , artifice , ruse , stratagem , wile are terms for crafty or cunning devices that are intended to deceive. Trick , the general term, refers usually to an underhanded act designed to cheat someone, but it sometimes refers merely to a pleasurable deceiving of the senses: to win by a trick. Like trick , but to a greater degree, artifice emphasizes the cleverness, ingenuity, or cunning with which the proceeding is devised: an artifice of diabolical ingenuity. Ruse and stratagem emphasize the purpose for which the trick is designed; ruse is the more general term of the two, and stratagem sometimes implies a more elaborate procedure or a military application: He gained entrance by a ruse. His stratagem gave them command of the hill. W ile emphasizes the disarming effect of the trick upon those who are deceived: His wiles charmed them into trusting him. See cheat.

Example Sentences

A mother said her two-year-old son was lucky to be alive after he was "horrifically" attacked by a pocket bully dog while trick or treating.

From BBC

She said the trick is to make agencies more efficient, without harming the programs that help people.

From Los Angeles Times

By the time Sister Barnes accuses her captor of touting a magic trick as a miracle and Sister Paxton discovers the caged women, the film reveals its own deception.

From Los Angeles Times

Rick von Hagn, who has spent the last few years experimenting with N. intermedia at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, says the taste and texture of this ancient way of cooking may do the trick on its own.

From Salon

What was the trick to convincing producers that you could handle the mobility scooter that Thelma takes off in?

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bamboozle
• cheat
• con
• deceive
• defraud
• delude
• dupe
• hoodwink
• mislead
• swindle
• victimize