mindmap root((伎俩)) trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless intent: used every ~ in the book to get the teacher's attention. ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by giving a false impression: secured a papal audience through a clever ~. stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy: a series of ~s that convinced both sides he was their agent. maneuver suggests adroit and skillful manipulation of persons or things to solve a problem or avoid difficulty: a bold ~ that won him the nomination. gambit applies to a trick or tactic used to gain an advantage, often by harassing or embarrassing an opponent: tried a new ~ in the peace negotiations. ploy may add to gambit a suggestion of finesse or roguishness: tried a new ~ in order to gain entrance. artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention: his fawning smile was just an ~. wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements: used all his ~s to win his uncle's favor. feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent: ballcarriers use ~s to draw defensemen out of position.