Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TRICK, n. [D. trek, a pull or drawing, a trick; trekken, to draw, to drag; bedriegen, to cheat; driegen, to tack or baste; G. triegen, to deceive; trug, betrug, fraud, trick; Dan. trekke, a trick; trekker, to draw, to entice; Fr. tricher, to cheat; It. treccare, to cheat; trecca, a huckster; treccia, a lock of hair, from folding, involving, Gr. θριξ, Sp. trica, a quibble; L. tricor, to play tricks, to trifle, to baffle. We see the same root in the Low L. intrico, to fold, and in intrigue. Trick is from drawing, that is, a drawing aside, or a folding, interweaving, implication.]

1. An artifice or stratagem for the purpose of deception; a fraudful contrivance for an evil purpose, or an underhand scheme to impose upon the world; a cheat or cheating. We hear of tricks in bargains, and tricks of state. He comes to me for counsel, and I show him a trick. – South.
2. A dextrous artifice. On one nice trick depends the gen'ral fate. – Pope.
3. Vicious practice; as, the tricks of youth.
4. The sly artifice or legerdemain of a juggler; as, the tricks of a merry Andrew.
5. A collection of cards laid together.
6. An unexpected event. Some trick not worth an egg. [Unusual.] – Shak.
7. A particular habit or manner; as, he has a trick of drumming with his fingers, or a trick of frowning. [This word is in common use in America, and by no means vulgar.]