- an illusory feat

- considered magical by naive observers

- a cunning or deceitful action or device
"he played a trick on me"
"he pulled a fast one and got away with it"

- a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement

- an attempt to get you to do something foolish or imprudent
"that offer was a dirty trick"

- a period of work or duty

- deceive somebody
"We tricked the teacher into thinking that class would be cancelled next week"

1. An artifice or stratagem; a cunning contrivance; a sly procedure, usually with a dishonest intent; as, a trick in trade.

"He comes to me for counsel, and I show him a trick." -- South.

"I know a trick worth two of that." -- Shak.

2. A sly, dexterous, or ingenious procedure fitted to puzzle or amuse; as, a bear's tricks; a juggler's tricks.

3. Mischievous or annoying behavior; a prank; as, the tricks of boys. Prior.

4. A particular habit or manner; a peculiarity; a trait; as, a trick of drumming with the fingers; a trick of frowning.

"The trick of that voice I do well remember." -- Shak.

"He hath a trick of Cœur de Lion's face." -- Shak.

5. A knot, braid, or plait of hair. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

6. (Card Playing) The whole number of cards played in one round, and consisting of as many cards as there are players.

"On one nice trick depends the general fate." -- Pope.

7. (Naut.) A turn; specifically, the spell of a sailor at the helm, -- usually two hours.

8. A toy; a trifle; a plaything. [Obs.] Shak.

Syn. -- Stratagem; wile; fraud; cheat; juggle; finesse; sleight; deception; imposture; delusion; imposition.

1. To deceive by cunning or artifice; to impose on; to defraud; to cheat; as, to trick another in the sale of a horse.

2. To dress; to decorate; to set off; to adorn fantastically; -- often followed by up, off, or out. " Trick her off in air." Pope.

"People lavish it profusely in tricking up their children in fine clothes, and yet starve their minds." -- Locke.

"They 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." -- Macaulay.

3. To draw in outline, as with a pen; to delineate or distinguish without color, as arms, etc., in heraldry.

"They forget that they are in the statutes: . . . there they are tricked, they and their pedigrees." -- B. Jonson.