ruse

¹

[rooz]

noun

1. a trick, stratagem, or artifice.

Ruse

²

[roo-sey]

noun

1. a city in N Bulgaria, on the Danube.

Ruse

¹

/ ˈruːseɪ /

noun

1. a city in NE Bulgaria, on the River Danube: the chief river port and one of the largest industrial centres in Bulgaria. Pop: 172 000 (2005 est)

ruse

²

/ ruːz /

noun

1. an action intended to mislead, deceive, or trick; stratagem

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ruse¹

1375–1425; late Middle English (noun use of obsolete rusen to detour) < Middle French, derivative of ruser to retreat. See rush ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ruse¹

C15: from Old French: trick, esp to evade capture, from ruser to retreat, from Latin recūsāre to refuse

Synonym Study

See trick.

Example Sentences

Her ruse is certainly not persuasive to anyone outside of the GOP voting base.

From Salon

Clearly a ruse for yet another Pride parade or Latin American gang invasion.

From Los Angeles Times

And he called complaints that the city should have required an environmental impact report “a ruse,” saying the project simply did not meet the requirements established by the state.

From Los Angeles Times

But it was just a ruse - according to the account delivered by the Pentagon - a decoy to distract from the top-secret flights heading straight for Iran over the Atlantic.

From BBC

The cut on Amy’s finger was a ruse — a desperate act to access care.

From Salon

Related Words

• feint 
• game plan 
• gimmick 
• hoax 
• ploy 
• sham 
• stratagem 
• stunt 
• subterfuge