- trick
- trick1 S3 [trık] n▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(something that deceives somebody)¦2¦(joke)¦3¦(something that makes things appear different)¦4 a dirty/rotten/mean trick5 do the trick6¦(magic)¦7¦(clever method)¦8 use/try every trick in the book9 teach/show somebody a trick or two10 somebody is up to their (old) tricks11¦(cards)¦12¦(habit)¦13 never miss a trick14 how's tricks?15¦(sex)¦▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[Date: 1400-1500; : Old North French; Origin: trique, from trikier 'to deceive, cheat', from Old French trichier]1.) ¦(SOMETHING THAT DECEIVES SOMEBODY)¦something you do in order to deceive someone▪ Pretending he doesn't remember is an old trick of his.▪ He didn't really lose his wallet - that's just a trick.2.) ¦(JOKE)¦something you do to surprise someone and to make other people laugh▪ I'm getting tired of your silly tricks.▪ The girls were playing tricks on their teacher.3.) ¦(SOMETHING THAT MAKES THINGS APPEAR DIFFERENT)¦something that makes things appear to be different from the way they really are▪ After walking for hours in the hot sun, his mind began playing tricks on him.▪ At first he thought someone was coming towards him, but it was just a trick of the light .4.) a dirty/rotten/mean trickan unkind or unfair thing to do▪ He didn't turn up? What a dirty trick!5.) do the trickspoken if something does the trick, it solves a problem or provides what is needed to get a good result▪ A bit more flour should do the trick.6.) ¦(MAGIC)¦a skilful set of actions that seem like magic, done to entertain people▪ My uncle was always showing me card tricks when I was a kid.▪ a magic trick7.) ¦(CLEVER METHOD)¦a way of doing something that works very well but may not be easy to notice▪ The trick is to bend your knees as you catch the ball.▪ a salesman who knew all the tricks of the trade (=clever methods used in a particular job)8.) use/try every trick in the bookto use every method that you know, even dishonest ones, to achieve what you want9.) teach/show sb a trick or two informalused to say that someone knows more than someone else or can do something better than them▪ Experienced teachers can show new teachers a trick or two.10.) sb is up to their (old) tricks informalto be doing the same dishonest things that you have often done before11.) ¦(CARDS)¦the cards played or won in one part of a game of cards▪ He won the first three tricks easily.12.) ¦(HABIT)¦have a trick of doing sthBrE to have a habit of using a particular expression or of moving your face or body in a particular way▪ She had this trick of raising her eyebrows at the end of a question.13.) never miss a trickspoken to always know exactly what is happening even if it does not concern you▪ Dave's found out. He never misses a trick, does he?.14.) how's tricks?old-fashioned spoken used to greet someone in a friendly way▪ Hello, Bill! How's tricks?15.) ¦(SEX)¦AmE old-fashioned informal someone who pays a ↑prostitute to have sexturn a trick(=to have sex with someone for money)→↑confidence trick,dirty trick at ↑dirty1 (6), you can't teach an old dog new tricks at ↑teach, ↑hat tricktrick 2trick2 v [T]1.) to deceive someone in order to get something from them or to make them do something▪ She knew she'd been tricked, but it was too late.trick sb into doing sth▪ He claimed he was tricked into carrying drugs.trick sb out of sth▪ The corporation was tricked out of $20 million.trick your way into/past/onto etc sth▪ He tricked his way into her home by pretending to be a policeman.2.) be tricked out with/in sthBrE literary to be decorated with something▪ a hat tricked out with ribbonstrick 3trick3 adj1.) trick photographywhen a photograph or picture has been changed so that it looks different from what was really there2.) a trick questiona question which seems easy to answer but has a hidden difficulty3.) a trick knee/ankle/shoulder etcAmE a joint that is weak and can suddenly cause you problems
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.