# trick

Pronunciation: say "TRIK" /tɹɪk/

## Noun

1. A scheme or device intended to fool, outsmart, or swindle someone.
   - Simple: A clever plan or action meant to fool or cheat someone.
   - _The scammer's oldest trick is pretending to call from your bank._
   - _What looked like a generous offer was really a trick to collect their bank details._
2. A clever or efficient method for accomplishing something.
   - Simple: A clever or easy way to do something.
   - _The chef shared a handy trick for keeping avocados from browning._
   - _Learning a few keyboard shortcuts is the trick to working faster._
4. A single feat in a magician's or entertainer's act, designed to amaze through apparent impossibility.
   - Simple: A clever act a magician does to surprise or amaze people.
   - _The audience gasped when his final trick revealed the missing ring._
   - _Every trick in her routine relied on careful misdirection._
5. A difficult physical feat performed for entertainment, as in skateboarding, gymnastics, or stunt work.
   - Simple: A hard physical move done to entertain people.
   - _The snowboarder nailed a spinning trick off the final jump._
   - _Each trick in the BMX routine drew louder cheers._
6. A mischievous act played on someone to annoy or fool them for fun; a prank.
   - Simple: A playful or annoying joke played on someone.
   - _Their Halloween trick left toilet paper draped across the whole yard._
   - _He pulled a classic trick by setting all the clocks an hour ahead._
8. In card games, a round in which each player lays down one card, and one play wins the group of cards according to the rules.
   - Simple: In card games, one round where each player puts down a card, and the game's rules decide which card wins.
   - _The declarer needed to win every trick to make the contract._
   - _He carefully counted the tricks his side had taken._
13. In slang, a sex act performed for payment; an instance of prostitution. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A slang word for a sex act done for money.
   - _She turned a few tricks to cover the week's expenses._
   - _The arrangement was simple: one trick, cash up front._
14. A prostitute's customer or client. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A person who pays a prostitute for sex.
   - _She turned away when a trick pulled up to the curb._
   - _The trick paid in cash and left before dawn._
17. A contemptible person, used as a term of abuse. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A mean or nasty person, used as an insult.
   - _Tell that trick he's not welcome at this party anymore._
   - _He called his rival a trick and stormed off._
18. A spell of work or duty, such as a shift in a job organized around shifts, or a sailor's turn at the helm, usually lasting two hours.
   - Simple: A set period of work or duty, like a work shift or a sailor's turn steering the ship.
   - _Her trick at the wheel ended at midnight._
   - _The sailor took his trick at the wheel from midnight to two._

## Verb

3. To cause someone to believe something untrue; to deceive or fool.
   - Simple: To make someone believe something that is not true.
   - _The scammer tricked elderly residents into handing over their savings._
   - _She tried to trick the guard into opening the gate._
9. To dress, decorate, or adorn in an elaborate or showy manner, often with up, off, or out.
   - Simple: To dress or decorate something in a showy, fancy way.
   - _Performers trick themselves out in feathers and sequins for the parade._
   - _He tricked up the old car with chrome and bright paint._
15. To work as a prostitute, or to engage in casual sex. *(slang)*
   - Simple: To work as a prostitute, or to have casual sex.
   - _Younger runaways often trick just to survive._
   - _She tricked along the boulevard most nights._

## Adjective

7. Designed to deceive or mislead; involving trickery.
   - Simple: Made to fool people or make them believe something that is not true.
   - _The exam included several trick questions worded to catch careless readers._
   - _His seemingly simple offer hid a trick clause in the contract._
10. Liable to fail or give way unexpectedly; defective or unreliable.
   - Simple: Not working properly and likely to fail or give out suddenly.
   - _His trick knee buckled halfway through the hike._
   - _My trick knee always acts up before it rains._
11. Trained or able to perform tricks, as a show animal.
   - Simple: Trained to do clever or entertaining actions.
   - _The fair featured a trick horse that bowed to the crowd._
   - _A trick dog stole the show with its backflips._
16. Impressively stylish or cool. *(slang, US)*
   - Simple: Very stylish and cool-looking.
   - _He put some really trick wheels on his old car._
   - _He showed up in a trick new outfit._

## Noun

12. A characteristic habit, mannerism, or peculiarity of a person. *(dated)*
   - Simple: A small personal habit or way of doing something.
   - _He had an odd trick of clearing his throat before every sentence._
   - _That nervous trick of twisting her ring gave away her anxiety._
19. A trinket or other trifling object kept for play or amusement. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A small toy or unimportant little thing.

## Other meanings

- (noun) A length of hair that has been knotted, braided, or plaited.
- (noun) A drawing of a coat of arms made as an outline, with written labels marking the colors.
- (verb) To draw armorial bearings in outline, as distinct from blazoning, which describes them in words.

## Origin

Middle English had trikke, taken from Old Northern French trique, a relative of Old French trichier ("to defraud, deceive, cheat"). Where the French word came from is uncertain. One possibility is Middle High German trechen ("to play a trick on"). Another is that the French verb derives from Latin trīcārī ("to dodge, quibble, haggle"), and some have also connected it to Middle Dutch treck ("a draw, stratagem, ruse").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/trick (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).