cantrip

[ kahn-trip ]

/ ˈkɑn trɪp /

noun

Chiefly Scot. a magic spell; trick by sorcery.

Chiefly British. artful shamming meant to deceive.

Words nearby cantrip

cantor, cantor set, cantor's paradox, cantorial, cantoris, cantrip, cantuar., cantus, cantus firmus, canty, canuck

Origin of cantrip

1710–20; apparently dissimilated variant of Old English calcatrippe; see caltrop

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cantrip

He could not, however, make Lord Cantrip understand the whole truth.
Phineas Finn|Anthony Trollope
That exceedingly intelligent young nobleman Lord Cantrip was in earnest.
Phineas Finn|Anthony Trollope
When the new vicar went to Cantrip he found Church matters in a very primitive state.
Lighter Moments from the Notebook of Bishop Walsham How|Frederick Douglas How
When they had got thus far Lord Cantrip was standing close to the window of the room at Mr. Gresham's elbow.
Phineas Redux|Anthony Trollope

I remember how Cantrip almost cried when he told me you were going to leave him.
Phineas Redux|Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for cantrip

cantrip

/ (ˈkæntrɪp) Scot /

noun

a magic spell

(often plural) a mischievous trick

adjective

(of an effect) produced by black magic

Word Origin for cantrip

C18: Scottish, of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012