trick

pronunciation

How to pronounce trick in British English: UK [trɪk] word uk audio image

How to pronounce trick in American English: US [trɪk] word us audio image

Noun:

a cunning or deceitful action or device
a period of work or duty
an attempt to get you to do something foolish or imprudent
a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers
Verb:

deceive somebody

Word Origin

trick: trick: [15] Trick comes from Old French trique, a variant of triche, which was derived from the verb trichier ‘cheat’ (source of English treachery). And this in turn probably came from Latin trīcarī ‘make difficulties, play tricks’ (source also of English extricate [17] and intricate [15]), a derivative of trīcae ‘difficulties, tricks’, whose origins are unknown. Tricky dates from the 18th century, its use for ‘difficult’ from the end of the 19th century.=> extricate, intricate, treachery

trick (n.): early 15c., "a cheat, a mean ruse," from Old North French trique "trick, deceit, treachery, cheating," from trikier "to deceive, to cheat," variant of Old French trichier "to cheat, trick, deceive," of uncertain origin, probably from Vulgar Latin *triccare, from Latin tricari "be evasive, shuffle," from tricæ "trifles, nonsense, a tangle of difficulties," of unknown origin. Meaning "a roguish prank" is recorded from 1580s; sense of "the art of doing something" is first attested 1610s. Meaning "prostitute's client" is first attested 1915; earlier it was U.S. slang for "a robbery" (1865). To do the trick "accomplish one's purpose" is from 1812; to miss a trick "fail to take advantage of opportunity" is from 1889; from 1872 in reference to playing the card-game of whist, which might be the original literal sense. Trick-or-treat is recorded from 1942. Trick question is from 1907.

trick (v.): "deceive by trickery," 1590s, from trick (n.). Related: Tricked; tricking. The sense of "to dress, adorn" (c. 1500) is perhaps a different word entirely.

vt.