tricks
tricks — noun
- trickssingular
- tricksesplural
1. something you do that makes someone believe something untrue, whether meant play
something you do that makes someone believe something untrue, whether meant playfully for fun or dishonestly to cheat them
The salesman's tricks fooled many elderly customers into paying far too much for basic products.
noun + verb collocation: tricks fool/cheat/deceive someone
Shirin played a harmless trick on her brother by hiding his keys inside the sofa cushions.
collocation: play a trick on someone
The company used accounting tricks to hide its financial losses from shareholders for several years.
Vivek suspected the email was a trick designed to steal his personal banking information.
- truth
what is real and honest, as opposed to a false belief created by a trick
文法句型
play a trick on someone
用法筆記
Often used in the pattern 'play a trick on someone' for a harmless joke, or 'dirty trick' for a dishonest or mean act.
常見錯誤
2. a natural visual effect that happens when light, shadows, or reflections trick t
a natural visual effect that happens when light, shadows, or reflections trick the eye into seeing something that is not really there
The wet patch on the road was just a trick of the light from the hot sun above.
fixed expression: a trick of the light
Tamás thought he saw someone at the window, but it was just a trick of the light.
The shadow moving across the wall was nothing more than a trick of the light.
Photographers often use tricks of the light during the golden hour to create warm and dramatic portraits.
- optical illusion
broader; can be created by any visual means, not just light
- mirage
specifically a trick of the light in hot conditions, often in deserts
文法句型
a trick of the light
用法筆記
This sense describes a naturally occurring visual phenomenon caused by light itself, not a deliberately created illusion. Almost always used in the fixed expression 'a trick of the light' (singular) or 'tricks of the light' (plural).
3. the traditional words children call out on Halloween when they go from house to
the traditional words children call out on Halloween when they go from house to house asking for sweets, with the suggestion that they will play a trick if they are not given a treat
The children knocked on every door in the street and shouted 'trick or treat!' at the top of their voices.
fixed Halloween phrase: 'trick or treat!'
Esteban dressed up as a pirate and went around the neighbourhood saying trick or treat with his cousins.
The woman had candy ready for every child who called out trick or treat at her door.
In many countries children only say 'trick or treat' on the evening of October 31st as part of Halloween celebrations.
文法句型
children shout/say 'trick or treat!'
用法筆記
This phrase is a fixed expression specific to the Halloween tradition, which is most common in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
常見錯誤
4. a smart technique or shortcut that helps you do something more easily, often lea
a smart technique or shortcut that helps you do something more easily, often learned through practice
Grandmother taught Noa a handy trick for peeling garlic in just a few seconds without crushing the cloves.
collocation: trick for + gerund (trick for doing something)
The best trick for remembering people's names is to repeat them back right after being introduced.
Olivia showed the beginner a few tricks for keeping the paintbrush steady while drawing thin lines.
There is a simple trick to opening a stuck jar lid: run hot water over it first.
文法句型
trick for doing something
trick to something
用法筆記
Often used in the patterns 'trick for + gerund' or 'trick to + noun/gerund'. The related idiom 'tricks of the trade' means the special skills needed for a particular job.
5. the slang term for a commercial sexual service that a sex worker provides to a p
the slang term for a commercial sexual service that a sex worker provides to a paying customer, as distinct from the customer who pays for it
The documentary examined the dangerous conditions faced by women who turn tricks on the streets late at night.
idiom: turn tricks (perform sexual acts for money)
Hassan interviewed social workers who help people leave the sex trade and stop turning tricks.
The novel describes the harsh economic pressures that force some young people into turning tricks to survive.
A city policy of fining people who turn tricks worried outreach workers that the most vulnerable would go into hiding.
文法句型
turn tricks
用法筆記
This sense refers to the act of performing sexual services for money, not the person paying (see sense 6). Almost always used in the slang expression 'turn tricks'. Considered informal and may be offensive in some contexts.
6. a person who pays a sex worker for sexual services, as distinct from the service
a person who pays a sex worker for sexual services, as distinct from the service itself
The undercover police officer pretended to be a trick in order to arrest the people running the illegal operation.
slang: trick = customer of a sex worker
Mauricio read a research paper about how sex workers screen potential tricks to decide which clients are safe.
The support group offers advice on how sex workers can spot dangerous tricks before agreeing to meet them.
The law punishes both the person who sells sex and the trick who pays for it in some countries.
用法筆記
This sense refers to the person paying for sex, NOT the sexual service itself (see sense 5 'TURN TRICKS'). The same slang term 'trick' is used for both meanings, so context determines which is intended: 'turns tricks' = performs the service, 'a trick' = the customer.
7. in card games, the group of cards put down by each player during a single round,
in card games, the group of cards put down by each player during a single round, with the winning hand counting toward the score
Sumin won the game by taking the final trick with her ace of hearts in a tense round of bridge.
collocation: take/win a trick
In the card game hearts, each trick consists of four cards and the highest card of the leading suit wins.
The novice player accidentally led with a low card, letting the opponent win the trick instead of her partner.
Amara counted the tricks she had won in each round to decide whether to bid higher or pass.
文法句型
take/win a trick
lead a trick
用法筆記
Common in trick-taking games such as bridge, spades, hearts, and euchre. The verb combinations are 'take a trick', 'win a trick', 'lead (with) a trick', and 'trump a trick'.
8. an image, drawing, or visual trick deliberately created to make the brain percei
an image, drawing, or visual trick deliberately created to make the brain perceive something different from what is physically there, unlike a trick of the light which happens naturally
The artist's drawing used visual tricks that made flat shapes appear to pop out from the paper.
collocation: visual trick / optical trick
Heloísa stared at the optical trick for several minutes trying to see both faces hidden in the same picture.
Magicians rely on tricks of perception to make objects appear and vanish in front of an audience.
The straight lines in the diagram appear to bend, but that is a trick the pattern plays on the eye.
- optical illusion
the standard term for any visual image that deceives the eye
- visual illusion
slightly broader; can include non-optical visual tricks like camouflage
文法句型
visual trick
trick of perception
用法筆記
Unlike sense 2 (TRICK OF THE LIGHT), which describes a natural phenomenon caused by light itself, this sense covers visual deceptions that are deliberately created by artists, magicians, or designers — such as optical illusion drawings, camouflage patterns, and perceptual puzzles.
tricks — adjective
- trickspositive
- tricksercomparative
- tricksestsuperlative
1. created to fool people, whether for fun, as part of a performance, or to cause t
created to fool people, whether for fun, as part of a performance, or to cause them to slip up
The exam included several trick questions that tested whether students had read each problem very carefully.
collocation: trick question
The movie used clever trick photography to make the actors appear to fly high above the city skyline.
collocation: trick photography
A trick mirror made Indra look tall on one side and short and wide on the other.
The magician performed a trick shot by throwing a playing card across the room and slicing a carrot in half.
- deceptive
broader and more formal; can be used predicatively ('The question is deceptive')
- misleading
focuses on causing a wrong conclusion rather than deliberate deception
- straightforward
clear and simple, with no attempt to deceive
文法句型
trick question
trick photography
trick mirror
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position). Commonly found in fixed compound nouns such as 'trick question', 'trick photography', 'trick mirror', and 'trick shot'.
2. used of a body part, usually a joint such as a knee or ankle, that may unexpecte
used of a body part, usually a joint such as a knee or ankle, that may unexpectedly give way or feel unstable due to an old injury
After the bad fall on the basketball court, Liam's trick knee would sometimes buckle when he walked down stairs.
collocation: trick knee
Mauricio's trick shoulder gave way unexpectedly as he tried to lift the heavy box onto the top shelf.
The old sports injury left Heloísa with a trick ankle that could not be trusted on rough ground.
Runners who have twisted their ankle before often develop a trick hip that needs extra support during long races.
- unreliable
broader; can describe a person or object, not specifically a body part
- weak
simpler but less specific; does not carry the nuance of sudden, unexpected failure
文法句型
trick knee/ankle/shoulder
用法筆記
Used only before a noun describing a body part, most commonly a joint (knee, ankle, shoulder, hip, wrist). The speaker implies the joint has a history of instability. Not used for general weakness caused by illness.
tricks — verb
- trickspresent simple I / you / we / they
- trickses3rd person singular
- tricksing-ing form
- tricksedpast simple
1. to make someone believe something that is not true, usually in order to get some
to make someone believe something that is not true, usually in order to get something from them or make them do something
The con artist tricked several elderly people into giving him their bank account numbers over the phone.
pattern: trick + someone + into + gerund
Vivek tricked his younger cousins into believing the old house was haunted by playing spooky sounds through hidden speakers.
Several investors were tricked by false promises of huge profits and ended up losing their entire life savings.
The spy tricked the checkpoint guards by wearing a stolen military uniform and walking past with calm confidence.
- enlighten
to give someone true information, the opposite of making them believe something false
文法句型
trick someone into doing something
trick someone into [noun phrase]
用法筆記
Always transitive and almost always followed by 'into + gerund' to specify what the deceived person was made to do. The passive form 'be tricked by' is very common for describing victims.