trick
a crafty or underhanded device, maneuver, stratagem, or the like, intended to deceive or cheat; artifice; ruse; wile.
an optical illusion: It must have been some visual trick caused by the flickering candlelight.
a roguish or mischievous act; practical joke; prank: She likes to play tricks on her friends.
a mean, foolish, or childish action.
a clever or ingenious device or expedient; adroit technique: the tricks of the trade.
the art or knack of doing something skillfully: You seem to have mastered the trick of making others laugh.
a clever or dexterous feat intended to entertain, amuse, etc.: He taught his dog some amazing tricks.
a feat of magic or legerdemain: card tricks.
a behavioral peculiarity; trait; habit; mannerism.
a period of duty or turn; stint; tour of duty: I relieved the pilot after he had completed his trick at the wheel.
Cards.
the group or set of cards played and won in one round.
a point or scoring unit.
a card that is a potential winner.: Compare honor trick.
Informal. a child or young girl: a pretty little trick.
Slang.
a prostitute's customer.
a sexual act between a prostitute and a customer.
Heraldry.
a preliminary sketch of a coat of arms.
of, pertaining to, characterized by, or involving tricks: trick shooting.
designed or used for tricks: a trick chair.
(of a joint) inclined to stiffen or weaken suddenly and unexpectedly: a trick shoulder.
to deceive by trickery.
Heraldry. to indicate the tinctures of (a coat of arms) with engravers tricks.
to cheat or swindle (usually followed by out of): to trick someone out of an inheritance.
to beguile by trickery (usually followed by into).
to practice trickery or deception; cheat.
to play tricks; trifle (usually followed by with).
Slang. to engage in sexual acts for hire.
trick out, Informal. to embellish or adorn with or as if with ornaments or other attention-getting devices.
Idioms about trick
do / turn the trick, to achieve the desired effect or result: Another turn of the pliers should do the trick.
turn a trick, Slang. (of a prostitute) to engage in a sexual act with a customer.
Origin of trick
1synonym study For trick
Other words for trick
Other words from trick
- tricker, noun
- trick·ing·ly, adverb
- outtrick, verb (used with object)
- un·tricked, adjective
Words Nearby trick
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use trick in a sentence
The biggest trick to digitization right now is meeting customers where they are.
How to drive digital innovation necessary during the pandemic | Nick Chasinov | September 16, 2020 | Search Engine WatchIf you were good at finding differences between two pictures as a kid, this will probably do the trick for you in most cases.
How to earn your place in Google’s index in 2020 | Bartosz Góralewicz | September 14, 2020 | Search Engine LandThe trick is, when you get something right the first time, you haven't learned anything.
How I learned to tell stories on purpose in the new Frog Fractions | Ars Staff | September 11, 2020 | Ars TechnicaThe trick is being able to get featured snippets is using a structured process.
How to become a master of featured snippets | Mark Webster | September 3, 2020 | Search Engine WatchAn old drug can learn new tricks during the coronavirus pandemic.
WHO says common steroids can slash death risk for the sickest coronavirus patients | Sy Mukherjee | September 2, 2020 | Fortune
They can be ingested sporadically or used as a mixer throughout the night (though a can of Sprite seems to be the latest trick).
But one extra trick would instantly solve the problem of crashes that occur over water.
Red Tape and Black Boxes: Why We Keep ‘Losing’ Airliners in 2014 | Clive Irving | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe trick has been to create nonstops from cities like Boston that were under-served.
And just last May Glee aired “Old Dog, New trick,” the first episode scripted by Colfer.
Chris Colfer on Writing, Acting, and the Pain of Being A Pop Culture Trailblazer | Oliver Jones | December 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe trick is to be able to recognize the right one when it comes along.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days | David Freeman | December 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe thrust his tiny tuft of beard between his teeth—a trick he had when perplexed or thoughtful.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniI could have sworn I heard a cry, and one of my men spoke in a tone that assured me my imagination had not been playing a trick.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairSome were inquisitive enough to ask, Has a treaty been signed or a trick been played upon the rebels?
The Philippine Islands | John ForemanAnd the finger he pointed at the girl quivered with the rage that filled him at this trick they had thought to put upon him.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniNothing was out of the ordinary except that the Professor developed an odd trick of continually glancing at his right hand.
Uncanny Tales | Various
British Dictionary definitions for trick
/ (trɪk) /
a deceitful, cunning, or underhand action or plan
a mischievous, malicious, or humorous action or plan; joke: the boys are up to their tricks again
(as modifier): a trick spider
an illusory or magical feat or device
a simple feat learned by an animal or person
an adroit or ingenious device; knack: a trick of the trade
a behavioural trait, habit, or mannerism
a turn or round of duty or work
cards
a batch of cards containing one from each player, usually played in turn and won by the player or side that plays the card with the highest value
a card that can potentially win a trick
can't take a trick Australian slang to be consistently unsuccessful or unlucky
do the trick informal to produce the right or desired result
how's tricks? slang how are you?
turn a trick slang (of a prostitute) to gain a customer
to defraud, deceive, or cheat (someone), esp by means of a trick
Origin of trick
1Derived forms of trick
- tricker, noun
- trickless, adjective
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with trick
In addition to the idioms beginning with trick
- trick or treat
- trick out
- tricks of the trade
also see:
- bag of tricks
- confidence game (trick)
- dirty tricks
- do the trick
- hat trick
- how's tricks
- not miss a trick
- teach an old dog new tricks
- that does it (the trick)
- turn a trick
- up to one's old tricks
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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