trick

[ trik ]

noun

1. a crafty or underhanded device, maneuver, stratagem, or the like, intended to deceive or cheat; artifice; ruse; wile.

   Synonyms: deception

2. an optical illusion:

   It must have been some visual trick caused by the flickering candlelight.

3. a roguish or mischievous act; practical joke; prank:

   She likes to play tricks on her friends.

4. a mean, foolish, or childish action.
5. a clever or ingenious device or expedient; adroit technique:

   the tricks of the trade.

6. the art or knack of doing something skillfully:

   You seem to have mastered the trick of making others laugh.

7. a clever or dexterous feat intended to entertain, amuse, etc.:

   He taught his dog some amazing tricks.

8. a feat of magic or legerdemain:

   card tricks.

9. a behavioral peculiarity; trait; habit; mannerism.
10. a period of duty or turn; stint; tour of duty:

    I relieved the pilot after he had completed his trick at the wheel.

11. Cards.
    1. the group or set of cards played and won in one round.
    2. a point or scoring unit.
    3. a card that is a potential winner. Compare honor trick.
12. Informal. a child or young girl:

    a pretty little trick.

13. Slang.
    1. a prostitute's customer.
    2. a sexual act between a prostitute and a customer.
14. Heraldry.
    1. a preliminary sketch of a coat of arms.
    2. engraver's trick.

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characterized by, or involving tricks:

   trick shooting.

2. designed or used for tricks:

   a trick chair.

3. (of a joint) inclined to stiffen or weaken suddenly and unexpectedly:

   a trick shoulder.

verb (used with object)

1. to deceive by trickery.
2. Heraldry. to indicate the tinctures of (a coat of arms) with engravers tricks.
3. to cheat or swindle (usually followed by out of ):

   to trick someone out of an inheritance.

4. to beguile by trickery (usually followed by into ).

verb (used without object)

1. to practice trickery or deception; cheat.
2. to play tricks; trifle (usually followed by with ).
3. Slang. to engage in sexual acts for hire.

verb phrase

1. Informal. to embellish or adorn with or as if with ornaments or other attention-getting devices.

trick

/ trɪk /

noun

1. a deceitful, cunning, or underhand action or plan
2. 1. a mischievous, malicious, or humorous action or plan; joke

      the boys are up to their tricks again

   2. ( as modifier )

      a trick spider

3. an illusory or magical feat or device
4. a simple feat learned by an animal or person
5. an adroit or ingenious device; knack

   a trick of the trade

6. a behavioural trait, habit, or mannerism
7. a turn or round of duty or work
8. cards
   1. 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
   2. a card that can potentially win a trick
9. can't take a trick slang.
   can't take a trick to be consistently unsuccessful or unlucky
10. do the trick informal.
    do the trick to produce the right or desired result
11. how's tricks? slang.
    how's tricks? how are you?
12. turn a trick slang.
    turn a trick (of a prostitute) to gain a customer

verb

1. to defraud, deceive, or cheat (someone), esp by means of a trick

Derived Forms

• ˈtrickless, adjective
• ˈtricker, noun

Other Words From

• tricker noun
• tricking·ly adverb
• outtrick verb (used with object)
• un·tricked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of trick¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English trik (noun), from Old North French trique “deceit,” derivative of trikier “to deceive,” from Vulgar Latin triccāre (unrecorded), from Latin trīcārī “to play tricks,” derivative of trīcae “hindrances, nonsense, trifles”; alternatively, perhaps from Middle Dutch trecken “to draw, pull” (compare modern Dutch trekken; trek ( def ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of trick¹

C15: from Old Northern French trique , from trikier to deceive, from Old French trichier , ultimately from Latin trīcārī to play tricks

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. do / turn the trick, to achieve the desired effect or result:

   Another turn of the pliers should do the trick.

2. turn a trick, Slang. (of a prostitute) to engage in a sexual act with a customer.

More idioms and phrases containing trick

• 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

Synonym Study

Trick , artifice , ruse , stratagem , wile are terms for crafty or cunning devices that are intended to deceive. Trick , the general term, refers usually to an underhanded act designed to cheat someone, but it sometimes refers merely to a pleasurable deceiving of the senses: to win by a trick. Like trick , but to a greater degree, artifice emphasizes the cleverness, ingenuity, or cunning with which the proceeding is devised: an artifice of diabolical ingenuity. Ruse and stratagem emphasize the purpose for which the trick is designed; ruse is the more general term of the two, and stratagem sometimes implies a more elaborate procedure or a military application: He gained entrance by a ruse. His stratagem gave them command of the hill. W ile emphasizes the disarming effect of the trick upon those who are deceived: His wiles charmed them into trusting him. See cheat.

Example Sentences

The biggest trick to digitization right now is meeting customers where they are.

From Search Engine Watch

If you were good at finding differences between two pictures as a kid, this will probably do the trick for you in most cases.

From Search Engine Land

The trick is, when you get something right the first time, you haven't learned anything.

From Ars Technica

The trick is being able to get featured snippets is using a structured process.

From Search Engine Watch

An old drug can learn new tricks during the coronavirus pandemic.

From 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).

From The Daily Beast

But one extra trick would instantly solve the problem of crashes that occur over water.

From The Daily Beast

The trick has been to create nonstops from cities like Boston that were under-served.

From The Daily Beast

And just last May Glee aired “Old Dog, New Trick,” the first episode scripted by Colfer.

From The Daily Beast

The trick is to be able to recognize the right one when it comes along.

From The Daily Beast

He thrust his tiny tuft of beard between his teeth—a trick he had when perplexed or thoughtful.

From Project Gutenberg

I 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.

From Project Gutenberg

Some were inquisitive enough to ask, Has a treaty been signed or a trick been played upon the rebels?

From Project Gutenberg

And the finger he pointed at the girl quivered with the rage that filled him at this trick they had thought to put upon him.

From Project Gutenberg

Nothing was out of the ordinary except that the Professor developed an odd trick of continually glancing at his right hand.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bamboozle
• cheat
• con
• deceive
• defraud
• delude
• dupe
• hoodwink
• mislead
• swindle
• victimize