wile
wile (w
l)
n.
1. A stratagem or trick intended to deceive or ensnare.
2. A disarming or seductive manner, device, or procedure: the wiles of a skilled negotiator.
3. Trickery; cunning.
tr.v. wiled, wil·ing, wiles
1. To influence or lead by means of wiles; entice.
2. To pass (time) agreeably: wile away a Sunday afternoon.
[Middle English wil, from Old North French, from Old Norse v
l, trick, or of Low German origin.]
Synonyms: wile, artifice, trick, ruse, feint, stratagem, maneuver, dodge
These nouns denote means for achieving an end by indirection or deviousness. Wile suggests deceiving and entrapping a victim by playing on his or her weak points: “He did not fail to see/His uncle’s cunning wiles and treachery” William Morris.
Artifice refers to something especially contrived to create a desired effect: “Should the public forgive artifices used to avoid military service?” Godfrey Sperling.
Trick implies willful deception: “The … boys … had all sorts of tricks to prevent us from winning” W.H. Hudson.
Ruse stresses the creation of a false impression: Your pretended deafness was a ruse to enable you to learn our plans, wasn’t it?
Feint denotes a deceptive act calculated to distract attention from one’s real purpose: One person bumped into me as a feint while the other stole my wallet.
Stratagem implies carefully planned deception used to achieve an objective: The manager used ruthless stratagems to win the promotion.
Maneuver often applies to a single strategic move: “To this day they always speak of that Reform Bill as if it had been a dishonest maneuver” The Standard.
Dodge stresses shifty and ingenious deception: “‘It was all false, of course?’ ‘All, sir,’ replied Mr. Weller, ‘ … artful dodge’” Charles Dickens.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
| Noun | 1. | wile – the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them)
dupery, hoax, put-on, humbug, fraud, fraudulence – something intended to deceive; deliberate trickery intended to gain an advantage
jugglery – artful trickery designed to achieve an end; “the senator’s tax program was mere jugglery”
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Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
