Trick

Pronunciation

• enPR: trÄ­k, IPA: /trɪk/
• Rhymes: -ɪk

Origin

Uncertain.

• Perhaps from Old Northern French trique ("") (related to Old French trichier; French: tricher), itself possibly from Middle High German trechen ("to launch a shot at, play a trick on"), but the Old French verb more likely is derived from Vulgar Latin *triccāre, from Late Latin tricāre, from Latin trÄ«cārÄ« ("behave in an evasive manner, search for detours; trifle, delay").
• Alternatively, perhaps from Dutch trek ("a pull, draw, trick"), from trekken ("to draw"), from Middle Dutch trekken, trÄ“ken ("to pull, place, put, move"), from Old Dutch *trekkan, *trekan ("to move, drag"), from Proto-Germanic *trakjanÄ…, *trikanÄ… ("to drag, scrape, pull"), from Proto-Indo-European *dreg- ("to drag, scrape").

If the second theory is correct, the term is cognate with Low German trekken, Middle High German trecken, trechen, Danish trække, and Old Frisian trekka.

Compare track, treachery, trig, and trigger.

Full definition of trick

Adjective

1. (slang) Stylish or cool.Wow, your new sportscar is so trick.

Noun

1. Something designed to fool or swindle.
   It was just a trick to say that the house was underpriced.
2. A single piece (or business) of a magician's (or any variety entertainer's) act.
   And for my next trick, I will pull a wombat out of a duffel bag.
3. An effective, clever or quick way of doing something.
• 2013-07-20, Welcome to the plastisphere, Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.
4. tricks of the trade;  what's the trick of getting this chair to fold up?
5. Mischievous or annoying behavior; a prank.the tricks of boys
6. (dated) A particular habit or manner; a peculiarity; a trait.a trick of drumming with the fingers; a trick of frowning
• William Shakespeare, King Lear act IV, scene VI:The trick of that voice I do well remember.
• William Shakespeare,King John Act I, scene IHe hath a trick of Cœur de Lion's face.
7. A knot, braid, or plait of hair.
8. (card games) A sequence in which each player plays a card and a winning play is determined.
   I was able to take the second trick with the queen of hearts.
• Alexander PopeOn one nice trick depends the general fate.
9. (slang) An act of prostitution. Generally used with turn.
   At the worst point, she was turning ten tricks a day.
10. (slang) A customer to a prostitute.
    As the businessman rounded the corner, she thought, "Here comes another trick."
11. An entertaining difficult physical action.
    That's a nice skateboard, but can you do any tricks on it?
12. A daily period of work, especially in shift-based jobs.
• 1885, Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen, The Conductor and Brakeman, page 496:On third trick from 12 m. to 8 am, we have W. A. White, formerly operator at Wallula, who thus far has given general satisfaction.
• 1899, New York (State), Bureau of Statistics, Deptartment of Labor, Annual Report:Woodside Junction—On 8 hour basis, first trick $60, second trick $60, third trick $50.
• 1949, Labor arbitration reports, page 738:The Union contends that Fifer was entitled to promotion to the position of Group Leader on the third trick in the Core Room Department.
13. (nautical) A sailor's spell of work at the helm, usually two hours long.
14. A toy; a trifle; a plaything.

Synonyms

• (something designed to trick) artifice, con, gambit, ploy, rip-off, See also
• (magic trick) illusion, magic trick, sleight of hand
• (customer to a prostitute) john
• (entertaining difficult physical action)
• (daily period of work) shift

Verb

1. (transitive) To fool; to cause to believe something untrue; to deceive.You tried to trick me when you said that house was underpriced.
2. (heraldry) To draw (as opposed to blazon - to describe in words).
• 1600, Hamlet, , by ShakespeareThe rugged Pyrrhus, he whose sable arms,
  Black as his purpose, did the night resemble
  When he lay couched in the ominous horse,
  Hath now this dread and black complexion smear'd
  With heraldry more dismal; head to foot
  Now is he total gules; horridly trick'd
  With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons ...
• Ben JonsonThey forget that they are in the statutes: ... there they are tricked, they and their pedigrees.
3. To dress; to decorate; to adorn fantastically; often followed by up, off, or out.
• Alexander PopeTrick her off in air.
• John LockeTricking up their children in fine clothes.
• MacaulayThey are simple, but majestic, records of the feelings of the poet; as little tricked out for the public eye as his diary would have been.

Synonyms

• (to fool) con, dupe, fool, gull, have, hoodwink, pull the wool over someone's eyes, rip off
• (to trick out) mod

Derived terms