Forms: 5–6 trik, pl. trikkes, 6–7 tricke, 6– trick, (7 trike). [In sense 1, a. OF. trique, Picard and Norman form of triche deceit, treachery, cheating, Norm. dial. trique trick (Moisy), going with, and prob. verbal sb. from, trikier, Norm.-Picard form of trichier, trechier, trecier to deceive, cheat, mod.F. tricher = Prov. trichar, triquar, It. triccare to cheat; cf. also TRECHE v., TREACHER, etc. Both sb. and vb. have in Eng. had developments of signification unknown to F. triche and tricher.
The origin of the Romanic word is disputed. It was held by Diez to be of German origin; he compared Du. trek ‘drawing, pull,’ which has also the sense ‘trick, cunning.’ But most Romanic scholars refer it to a late L. or Com. Rom. *triccāre, alteration of trīcāre, trīcarī, ‘to trifle, play tricks,’ f. trīcæ ‘trifles, toys,’ also ‘subterfuges, quirks, wiles, tricks’: see Storm in Romania, V. 172, Ulrich in Zeitschr. f. Rom. Phil., IX. 566.)
I. 1. A crafty or fraudulent device of a mean or base kind; an artifice to deceive or cheat; a stratagem, ruse, wile; esp. in phrase to play (show) one a trick, to put a trick or tricks upon: see PLAY v. 9, PUT v.1 23 d, and cf. sense 2.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 2286. Of suche vnknyghtly trikkes he nat roghte.
1560. Rolland, Seven Sages, 82. Quha can excuse … Sic ane fals trik sa trymlie playit to him?
1570. Levins, Manip., 120/23. A Trick, facinus.
1588. Greene, Pandosto (1607), 4. Vnder the shape of a friend to shew him the tricke of a foe.
1622. in Foster, Eng. Factories Ind. (1908), II. 138. [Watching their opportunity] to put a tricke uppon us.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. Ad Sect. xii. 54. Let every man … deale with justice, noblenesse, and sincerity … without tricks and stratagems.
1707. J. Stevens, trans. Quevedo’s Com. Wks. (1709), 350. Such … Sayings … As for Instance,… do not put Tricks upon Travellers.
c. 1740. Carey, God save the King, ii. Frustrate their knavish tricks!
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 150. Ashamed, as of a silly deceitful trick.
1842. Tennyson, Lady Clare, 73. Play me no tricks.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. v. 347. He was again at his old tricks [O. E. Chron., an. 1003 his ealdan wrenceas].
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. lviii. 404. Public opinion, deterring even bad men from the tricks to which they are prone.
b. Without article: Trickery, fraud. rare.
1833. Nyren, Yng. Cricketer’s Tutor, 78. His word was not always to be depended on … he would now and then shuffle, and resort to trick.
c. An illusory or deceptive appearance; a semblance, sham. ? arch. or Obs.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., III. xii. Art thou not sometimes mad? Is there no trickes that comes before thine eies?
1781. Cowper, Conversation, 782. And all her love of God … A trick upon the canvass, painted flame.
1856. Whittier, Panorama, 207. In this poor trick of paint You see the semblance, incomplete and faint, Of the two-fronted Future.
2. A freakish or mischievous act; a roguish prank; a frolic; a piece of roguery or foolery; a hoax, practical joke.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., I. ii. 80. Or I shall breake that merrie sconce of yours That stands on tricks, when I am vndispos’d.
1605. Tryall Chev., V. ii., in Bullen, O. Pl., III. 346. That’s a tricke … to mocke an Ape.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 61. These Buffoons are always playing some foolish Tricks amongst themselves to make him laugh.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, III. 252. If any one plays their tricks upon me, they shall pay for their fun.
1846. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett. (1883), I. 367. Fortune has played me such a cruel trick this day.
1888. Pall Mall G., 10 Oct., 4/1. If they were more numerous they could afford to play tricks.
b. A capricious, foolish, or stupid act; a thing done without full thought or consideration. Usually contemptuous or depreciative.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., IV. iv. 43. Did’st thou euer see me doe such a tricke? Ibid. (1598), Merry W., II. ii. 117. That were a tricke indeed! Ibid. (1603), Meas. for M., II. ii. 121. Proud man, Drest in a little briefe authoritie … Plaies such phantastique tricks before high heauen As makes the Angels weepe.
1693. Congreve, Old Bach., IV. v. I hope you don’t mean to forsake it; that will be but a kind of a mongrel cur’s trick.
1829. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), II. 115. It were but a fool’s trick to die for conscience.
3. A clever or adroit expedient, device, or contrivance; a ‘dexterous artifice’ (J.); a ‘dodge.’
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 123. Gather the lowest, and leauing the top, Shall teach thee a trick, for to double thy crop.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 466. Som Dick That … knowes the trick To make my Lady laugh.
1618. Bolton, Florus (1636), 76. There also, the Carthaginians vented another new trick of their trade.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 307. This was a meere tricke of the Painter.
1752. Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), I. 107. (Eloquence) The moderns … reject with disdain all those rhetorical tricks.
1815. Jane Austen, Emma, xvi. Making … a trick of what ought to be simple.
1896. Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 21 Nov., 7/3. The novelist … knows the tricks of his trade.
4. The art, knack, or faculty of doing something skilfully or successfully. ? arch.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., III. iii. 86. Nature prompts them In simple and lowe things, to Prince it, much Beyond the tricke of others.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 5 April. Several that had got ground … for charity, to build sheds on, had got the trick presently to sell that for 60l. which did not cost them 20l.
1825. Scott, Talism., xxvii. Thou art even matchless at the trick of the sword.
1897. Kipling, Captains Courageous, ii. Thet was right smart fer a passenger. There’s more trick to it in a sea-way.
5. A feat of dexterity or skill, intended to surprise or amuse; a piece of jugglery or legerdemain.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., V. ii. 24. A iugling tricke, to be secretly open.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, Ded., Ess. (ed. Ker), II. 201. Like Merry-Andrew on the low rope, copying lubberly the same tricks which his master is so dexterously performing on the high.
1738. Swift, Pol. Conversat., 56. You have more Tricks than a Dancing Bear.
1848. Thackeray, Lett., 28 July. The wizard … asked them … if they didn’t like a trick he had just performed.
6. concr. † a. Something devised or contrived; a clever contrivance or invention. Obs. rare.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. V., 48 b. Sence that tyme, they haue imagined caltrappes, harowes and other newe trickes.
1601. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in his Hum. (Qo.), II. iii. This brasse varnish being washt off, and three or foure other tricks [Fol. patches] sublated.
b. A trifling ornament or toy; a trinket, bauble, knick-knack; hence pl., small and trifling articles; ‘traps,’ personal belongings or effects (U.S.).
c. 1553. C. Bansley, Treatise, xviii. (Percy Soc.), 6. Take hede … Least youre wives raymente, and galante trickes doo make youre thryfte full bare.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. iii. 67. A knacke, a toy, a tricke, a babies cap.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. I. 64. The women of this countrey weare aboue an hundreth tricks and trifles about them.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xvii. These court tricks, and gambols … are the tricks and trinkets that bring fair fortunes to farthings.
1877. C. Hallock, Sportsman’s Gaz., 640. Camp ‘tricks’ should be kept in their places, not thrown helterskelter, or left lying where last used.
1894. Mary J. Jaques, Texan Ranch Life, xxvi. 258. There was no need to pack our ‘tricks’ for England, we were assured, since we should never return to Texas; to say nothing about sailing to the Old Country!
1903. A. Adams, Log Cowboy, xiii. 198. After I get a shave and hair-cut and buy what few tricks I need.
II. 7. A particular habit, way, or mode of acting; a characteristic quality, trait, practice, or custom. (Usually, a bad or unpleasant habit.)
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 244. It is not my propertie to be enuious against other (which is a tricke incident to a great number).
1581. Pettie, Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., III. (1586), 129. A maide of ripe yeeres, who is hardlie brought to … leaue her olde ill tricks, if she haue taken anie.
1595. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., V. ii. 11. The Foxe, Who ne’re so tame, so cherisht, and lock’d vp, Will haue a wilde tricke of his Ancestors.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. xii. 251. The lazy trick of the wild Irish … who to save pains, burn the straw, so to part the grain from it.
1688. Penton, Guard. Instr. (1897), 23. The danger in great Schools of … learning ill Tricks.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 8, ¶ 5. My Valet de Chambre knows my University-Trick of reading there [in Bed].
1754. Earl Chatham, Lett. Nephew, v. (1804), 35. The trick of laughing frivolously is by all means to be avoided.
1791. Sir J. Reynolds, in Boswell, Johnson, an. 1739 (1848), 42/1. Those motions or tricks of Dr. Johnson are improperly called convulsions.
1884. Cassell’s Fam. Mag., March, 220/2. The Wey … has a trick of overflowing its banks.
8. a. A habit or fashion of dress. Also fig. arch.
1543. Becon, Nosegay, E iij. Some tyme we followe the fasshyon of the Frenche men. Another time we wil haue a tricke of the Spanyyardes.
1564–78. Bulleyn, Dial. agst. Pest. (1888), 17. Fine knottes vppon his girdle after Frances trickes.
1760. C. Johnston, Chrysal (1822), III. 147. He threw himself at her feet in all the trick of woe.
1874. R. W. Buchanan, Poet. Wks., III. 150. In the very trick of woe he clad His features.
b. A characteristic expression (of the face or voice); a peculiar feature; a distinguishing trait.
1595. Shaks., John, I. i. 85. He hath a tricke of Cordelions face. Ibid. (1605), Lear, IV. vi. 108. The tricke of that voyce, I do well remember: Is’t not the king?
1847. Lytton, Lucretia, II. iv. He detected … even the trick of his walk.
1881. Besant & Rice, Chapl. of Fleet, II. i. An old-fashioned bearing and trick of speech.
c. The mode of working a piece of mechanism, etc.; the system upon which a thing is constructed.
1663. Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xx. (1687), 203. If you will have so much patience, I will discover to you the trick of it, and shew you by what mechanical powers this liveless Engine … is stirred.
1819. Shelley, Cenci, V. iv. 6. He frowned, as if to frown had been the trick Of his machinery.
1888. J. Payn, Myst. Mirbridge, xxi. No one who did not know the trick of it could have opened yonder safe.
9. Naut. The time allotted to a man on duty at the helm; a spell; a turn; esp. in to take or stand one’s trick (at the wheel, etc.). Also transf.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., IV. i. 138. Seamen when their trike or turn have been out, and the Log hove.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), s.v. Spell, The spells to steer the ship; which … is generally called the trick.
1835. Marryat, Jac. Faithf., xviii. His duty is to take his trick at the wheel.
1892. M. Gibbs, in Science, 19 Aug., 99. The male [robin], who shares the duties of sitting, when going to take his trick, almost invariably flies … in the same path.
1912. [see trick-duty in 13].
III. 10. Her. A sketch in pen and ink of a coat of arms; in trick, sketched in pen and ink. (Perhaps a different word: see TRICK v.)
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 30 b. The tricke of this cote I toke, as I found it paynted on a Table, in a parishe churche of Nottingham.
1610. Bolton, Elem. Armories, 87. Drawing the blacke lines, which giue the shape,… lastly they sometime call it a Trick.
1792. Gentl. Mag., Jan., 21/1. A large manuscript collection of arms in trick, done in the reign of Elizabeth.
1890. Dillon in Archæologia, LII. 130. The flags are only shown in trick with the heraldic tinctures noted.
1908. Lett. of Richmond Herald of Arms (MS.). Not a painting of the Coat of Arms, but a trick, i. e. a pen and ink sketch with all the heraldic colours marked on it.
IV. 11. Card-playing. The cards (usually four) played, and won or ‘taken’ in one round, collectively; hence to take a or the trick. Odd trick: see ODD a. 1.
In quots. 1599, 1602, a hand of cards (obs.): in other early quots. with a play upon other senses.
1599. Massinger, etc., Old Law, III. i. Here’s a trick of discarded cards, of us!
1602. Heywood, Woman Kill’d, Wks. 1874, II. 123. Many a deale I haue lost, the more’s your shame. You haue seru’d me a bad tricke.
1607. Tourneur, Rev. Trag., III. iv. Wee’ll get thee out by a trick…. You know a trick is commonly foure Cardes.
1611. Cotgr., Mornifle,… a tricke at Cards.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 1. Leauing … to others … to play out that tricke of Cards for mee.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Smectymnuus, 21. A Murnival of Knaves Pack’d in a Trick.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xvi. (Roxb.), 73/2. A Trick, is as many cards as is won at one laying downe either at the game of Whisk or Picket.
1778. C. Jones, Hoyle’s Games Impr., 51 (Whist). The Odds then is 2 to 1 in Favour of B’s winning of a Trick.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., vi. Impossible to have made another trick.
a. 1839. Praed, Poems (1864), II. 63. Well—four by honours, and the trick!
V. Phrases and Combinations.
12. Phrases. a. A trick worth two of that, a much better plan or expedient (cf. 3). b. To do the trick, to accomplish one’s purpose, do what is wanted.
a. 1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. i. 41. Nay soft I pray ye, I know a trick worth two of that.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 65. Old Sir John Savil found a trick worth two of that, he had a project would bring in double that mony.
1773. Graves, Spir. Quixote, III. xv. I was thunderstruck…; but she said, ‘she knew a trick worth two of that.’
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, i. Best be off to bed, my boy—ho, ho! No, no. We know a trick worth two or that. ‘We won’t go home till morning, till daylight does appear.’
b. 1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., Do the Trick.
1823. Egan, Grose’s Dict. Vulg. T., Do the trick, to accomplish any robbery, or other business successfully;… a man who has imprudently involved himself in some great misfortune, from which there is little hope of extrication, is declared by his friends … to have done the trick for himself.
1838. Caledonian Mercury, 11 Jan., 7/4. M‘Lean put a hand in his pocket, and held out the other hand, saying, ‘there was the wee paw that did the trick.’
1872. Punch, 9 Nov., 196/1. Pail of whitewash and box o’ paints will do the trick.
1895. G. Meredith, Amazing Marriage, xv. I’ve brought him safe;… He’ll do the trick today.
13. attrib. and Comb. (chiefly in sense 5): Of, pertaining to, or of the nature of a trick or tricks, as trick change, -cycling, -dealer, fall, -riding (so trick-ride vb.), -shower (SHOWER sb.2), -work, -writing; in senses 9 and 11, trick-duty (see quot.), -making, -taking; skilled in or trained to perform tricks (sense 5), as trick-animal, -cyclist, -dog, -donkey, -horse, -pony; made or used for performing tricks, as trick-bag, -chair, -cycle, -dagger, -property, -staircase, -sword, -wig; also trick-doctor, ? a negro sorcerer; trick-line Theatr., a strong fine line used in pantomime transformations; so trick-scene, a transformation scene.
1884. World, 3 Dec., 16/2. The original stud from which the renowned breed of *trick-animals, pink-eyed and piebald, has sprung.
1910. Nation, 22 Jan., 665/1. A hocus-pocus loaf out of a conjuror’s *trick-bag.
1904. Daily Chron., 23 Aug., 3/2. It is of a piece with … the murder of Ithocles in an ‘engine,’ otherwise *trick-chair.
1896. Westm. Gaz., 8 Jan., 2/3. Quick changes—*‘trick changes’ is perhaps more technical a term—were accomplished with remarkable ingenuity.
1901. Wide World Mag., VIII. 149/1. An open space here afforded room for a little figure-skating, or rather *trick-cycling.
1903. Daily Chron., 20 May, 8/3. A young *trick-cyclist … met with a fatal accident to-day while practising looping the loop.
1889. P. A. Bruce, Plant. Negro, 116. The *trick doctor … employs the arts of the Obeah practitioners … with the arts of the Myal.
1886. C. Scott, Sheep-Farming, 204. A well-trained and experienced collie excels in sagacity all others of the dog family. His was not the intelligence of the *trick dog.
1881. Chequered Career, 120. If you don’t pay us our accounts, we will collar your *trick-donkey.
1912. Boston Transcript, 24 July, 7/3. Company reduces the time for those who do *trick duty [refers to telephone exchange; a night trick is 7 hours’ duty between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.].
1861. Windsor Express, 5 Oct. The well-known American Circus … 45 *trick and ring horses.
1908. Westm. Gaz., 4 Jan., 14/1. All aces are valuable as honours in a ‘trump’ game, as well as in their *trick-making capacity.
1908. Daily Chron., 31 Dec., 4/4. Special masks for the grotesques and *‘trick’ properties will often break into a couple of hundred pounds.
1887. Bicycl. News, 10 Sept., 371/2. Probably Maltby will be matched against Temple … to *trick-ride.
1885. Cyclist, 19 Aug., 1088/2. He entertained the spectators with a *trick-riding performance.
1677. Descr. Diamond Mines, in Misc. Cur. (1708), III. 255. Light Women-Dancers, and *Trick-Shewers.
1899. Daily News, 9 Jan., 6/6. The King … rolls head over heels down a *‘trick’ staircase.
1901. A. Dunn, Bridge, 52. A sequence of cards equal for *trick-taking purposes, such as king, queen, knave.
1888. Pall Mall G., 1 Sept., 3/1. A *trick wig, with the hanging hair … on a spring piece that allows this fringe to turn over back or down over the forehead.
1876. ‘Ouida,’ Winter City, vi. The little Meissonier pictures were clever, if they were mere *trick-work and told no story.
1894. Westm. Gaz., 5 July, 8/1. Article-writing is to a great extent *trick-writing. To ‘catch on’ they must dogmatise in pointed commonplace.
