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trick
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/trɪk/ 
| singular | trick |
| plural | tricks |
- 1an unfair or unpleasant thing that you do in order to harm someone or to get an advantage for yourselfa dirty/cruel/nasty trick:
It was a very dirty trick to play on anyone.
a dirty tricks campaign:They had carried out a dirty tricks campaign against a rival airline.
- a.something that you do in order to annoy someone or to make people laugh at them, often by making them believe something that is not trueplay a trick on someone:
I thought he was playing a trick on me.
your eyes are/your memory is playing tricks on you:Was it her, or were my eyes playing tricks on me?
phrases
a bag/box of tricks
do the trick
have a trick of doing something
have a trick up your sleeve
how’s tricks?
informalthe oldest trick in the book
show/teach someone a trick or two
the tricks of the trade
quick and effective methods used by experienced people in a particular professionThere are a few tricks of the trade which will help you when painting a room.
try/use every trick in the book
turn a trick
informalup to your old/usual tricks
This is the American English definition of trick. View British English definition of trick.
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