Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - trick

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English trikke, from Anglo-French *trik, from trikier to deceive, cheat, from Vulgar Latin *triccare, alteration of Latin tricari to behave evasively, shuffle, from tricae complications, trifles  Date: 15th century  1.  a. a crafty procedure or practice meant to deceive or defraud  b. a mischievous act ; prank  c. an indiscreet or childish action  d. a deceptive, dexterous, or ingenious feat; especially one designed to puzzle or amuse a juggler's ~s  2.  a. a habitual peculiarity of behavior or manner a horse with the ~ of shying  b. a characteristic and identifying feature a ~ of speech  c. a delusive appearance especially when caused by art or legerdemain ; an optical illusion a mere ~ of the light  3.  a.  (1) a quick or artful way of getting a result ; knack the ~ is to make it look natural  (2) an instance of getting a desired result one small adjustment will do the ~  b. a technical device (as of an art or craft) the ~s of stage technique  4. the cards played in one round of a card game often used as a scoring unit  5.  a. a turn of duty at the helm usually lasting for two hours  b. shift 4b(1)  c. a trip taken as part of one's employment  d. a sexual act performed by a prostitute turning ~s; also john 2  6. an attractive child or woman a cute little ~ Synonyms:  ~, ruse, stratagem, maneuver, artifice, wile, feint mean an indirect means to gain an end. ~ may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end the ~s of the trade. ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression the ruses of smugglers. stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy the stratagem-filled game. maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy. artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention the clever artifices of the stage. wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself. feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent a feint toward the enemy's left flank.  II. transitive verb  Date: circa 1500  1. to dress or adorn fancifully or ornately ; ornament ~ed out in a gaudy uniform  2. to deceive by cunning or artifice ; cheat  III. adjective  Date: circa 1530  1. trig  2.  a. of or relating to or involving ~s or ~ery ~ photography ~ dice  b. skilled in or used for ~s a ~ horse  3.  a. somewhat defective and unreliable a ~ lock  b. inclined to give way unexpectedly a ~ knee