wile

[ wahyl ]

noun

1. a trick, artifice, or stratagem meant to fool, trap, or entice; device.

   Synonyms: maneuver, contrivance, deception

2. wiles, artful or beguiling behavior.

   Synonyms: maneuver, contrivance, deception

3. deceitful cunning; trickery.

   Synonyms: fraud, chicanery

verb (used with object)

, wiled, wil·ing.

1. to beguile, entice, or lure (usually followed by away, from, into, etc.):

   The music wiled him from his study.

verb phrase

1. to spend or pass (time), especially in a leisurely or pleasurable fashion:

   to wile away the long winter nights.

wile

/ waɪl /

noun

1. trickery, cunning, or craftiness
2. usually plural an artful or seductive trick or ploy

verb

1. tr to lure, beguile, or entice

Other Words From

• outwile verb (used with object) outwiled outwiling

Word History and Origins

Origin of wile¹

1125–75; (noun) Middle English; late Old English wil, perhaps < Old Norse vēl artifice, earlier *wihl-

Word History and Origins

Origin of wile¹

C12: from Old Norse vel craft; probably related to Old French wīle, Old English wīgle magic. See guile

Synonym Study

See trick.

Example Sentences

Ninety percent of charges were for some form of child abuse, neglect or endangerment wile 86% of cases did not require prosecutors to find evidence of harm to the fetus.

From Salon

The sleazy, scheming De Guiche has been using his power and manipulative wiles to trap Roxanne in a situation where she’ll have no choice but to receive him as her lover.

From Los Angeles Times

He also intimated that Ruth Belville used her feminine wiles to get custom.

From BBC

England's scrum creaked, perhaps decisively, when the wisdom and wiles of Cole and Marler departed.

From BBC

My concern is that it’s all too tempting to yield to such wiles in the name of saving time and minimizing effort.

From Scientific American

Related Words

• guile
• stratagem