Trickeries

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Tactics that exploit the gullibility of others through misrepresentation or deceit; clever strategies used to create illusions or manipulate perceptions for personal gain; cunning techniques that mislead or distort the truth
2. Ingenious ploys that rely on cleverness to deceive; various forms of deceitful actions aimed at outwitting opponents; skillful methods used to create confusion and mislead people for ulterior motives
3. Cunning actions designed to mislead others through deceit or manipulation; deceptive schemes that exploit naivety or credulity for strategic advantage; crafty maneuvers that create illusions and divert attention from the truth

Etymology: "Trickeries" is simply the plural of "trickery," so it inherits its history. "Trickery" is formed from "trick" plus the suffix "-ery," which English uses to form nouns of collective action, practice, or condition, as in "bakery" or "slavery." The combination was first recorded in 1719, when the sense of deceptive practice was already attached to the base word "trick." The suffix does the quiet work here. "Trick" by itself names a single deceitful act, a ruse or a knack, while adding "-ery" turns it into a general habit or body of such acts, which is why "trickery" tends to describe a pattern of behaviour rather than one clever move. The plural "trickeries" then counts separate instances of that pattern, as when a story lists several distinct deceptions.

Synonyms: deceptions, tricks

Antonyms: honesty