trick
noun
a crafty or underhanded device, maneuver, stratagem, or the like, intended to deceive or cheat; artifice; ruse; wile.
had been tricking
-
past perfect progressiveof trick.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Forged letters showed McCullough had been tricking her parents into thinking they had lost money through scams.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2024
Several Soviet women who had dominated international athletics abruptly dropped out, cementing popular conviction that the Soviets had been tricking authorities.
From New York Times ● Jun. 28, 2016
Lori Drew had been tricking her as revenge for gossip she believed Megan had spread about her own daughter.
From Forbes ● Feb. 13, 2012
And when the day came, with the comparative security of light, he was inclined to think that his fancy had been tricking him.
From Billy Topsail & Company A Story for Boys by Norman Duncan
