trick

trick [trik]

n.

[ME trik < NormFr trique < trikier < OFr trichier, to trick, cheat, prob. < VL * triccare, altered < ? LL tricare, to deceive, for L tricari, to make trouble < tricae, vexations, tricks < IE * treik- < base * ter-, to turn, rub > THROW]

1. an action or device designed to deceive, cheat, outwit, etc.; artifice; dodge; ruse; stratagem

2.

a) a mischievous or playful act; prank, practical joke, etc.

b) a deception or illusion [the light played a trick on my eyes]

3. a freakish, foolish, mean, or stupid act

4. a clever or difficult act intended to amuse; specif.,

a) an act of jugglery or sleight of hand; also, an illusion of the kind created by legerdemain

b) an action, feat, or routine performed by an animal as a result of training

5. any feat requiring skill

6. the art or knack of doing something easily, skillfully, quickly, etc. [the trick of making good pastry]

7. an expedient or convention of an art, craft, or trade [to learn the tricks of the trade]

8. a personal habit or mannerism [a trick of tugging at the ear]

9. a turn or round of duty or work; shift

☆ 10. Informal a child or girl, esp. one viewed as cute or pretty

11. Slang

a) the act or an instance of performing sexual intercourse as a prostitute with a customer

b) such a customer

12. Card Games the cards played and won in a single round

vt.

to deceive or swindle

adj.

1. having to do with or used for a trick or tricks

2. that tricks

3. apt to malfunction; of uncertain reliability [a trick knee]

SYN.- CHEAT

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do the trick or turn the trick

Informal to bring about the desired result

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not miss a trick

Informal to be very alert

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trick out or trick up

to dress up; deck; array

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☆ turn a trick

Slang to have sex with a customer: said of a prostitute

tricker

n.

SYN.- TRICK is the common word for an action or device in which ingenuity and cunning are used to outwit others and implies deception either for fraudulent purposes or as a prank; RUSE applies to that which is contrived as a blind for one's real intentions or for the truth [her apparent illness was merely a ruse]; a STRATAGEM is a more or less complicated ruse, by means of which one attempts to outwit or entrap an enemy or antagonist [military stratagems]; MANEUVER, specifically applicable to military tactics, in general use suggests the shrewd manipulation of persons or situations to suit one's purposes [a political maneuver]; ARTIFICE stresses inventiveness or ingenuity in the contrivance of an expedient, trick, etc. [artifices employed to circumvent the tax laws ]; WILE implies the use of allurements or beguilement to ensnare [womanly wiles]