sleight of hand

(redirected from Slight of hand)
Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia.

sleight of hand

n. pl. sleights of hand
1.
a. The performance of or skill in performing juggling or magic tricks so quickly and deftly that the manner of execution cannot be observed; legerdemain.
b. A trick or set of tricks performed in this way.
2.
a. Deception or trickery: made the program appear affordable by statistical sleight of hand.
b. A deceptive or misleading act.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sleight of hand

n
1. (Theatre) manual dexterity used in performing conjuring tricks
2. (Theatre) the performance of such tricks
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sleight′ of hand′


n.
1. skill in feats requiring quick and clever movements of the hands, esp. for entertainment or deception; legerdemain.
2. the performance of such feats.
3. any such feat; a magic or conjuring trick.
4. skill in deception.
[1350–1400]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.sleight of hand - manual dexterity in the execution of tricks
conjuring trick, legerdemain, magic trick, thaumaturgy, magic, deception, conjuration, illusion, trick - an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

sleight of hand

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

sleight of hand

noun
The use of skillful tricks and deceptions to produce entertainingly baffling effects:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
-----------------------
Select a language:
References in periodicals archive ?
They used a well-rehearsed routine to note the bank card PIN number used by the victim to pay for their groceries before using slight of hand to steal their card.
Nor that projected rate of reduction of the budget deficit seems more like a slight of hand, at best.
He continued: "Some people use slight of hand to try and scam others, so this is when I went back to magic."
Each trainee Harry, Hermione or Ron will receive all the tools to master slight of hand, card tricks, mathematical magic, illusion and misdirection.
Whiteside's balancing act has needed even more slight of hand in recent weeks as the injuries mounted up.
From silly to sentimental, Carney Magic expertly weaves likeable characters with magic and mind-blowing slight of hand to deliver a performance that will amaze and delight!
Osterloh, a board member himself, dismissed the idea as "nothing more than a slight of hand."
Not only was his slight of hand on the so called living wage exposed, 20 Tory MPs voted with Frank Fields on his motion to pause the cuts, so no majority in the commons either.
The opening try arrived in the ninth minute as the Aussies once again showed slight of hand with Tevita Kuridrani feeding Adam Ashley-Cooper who raced clear to dive over at the corner.
Mappa Mundi worked closely with magicians Morgan and West during the development phase to bring elements of magic and slight of hand to the show.
The difference may be "slight of hand", but the outcome is different.
Many physicians left the year feeling like the government had played a fancy game of three-card Monte with them, getting them to pay hard-earned money for expensive electronic health record systems, initially letting them win a little bit, then through some slight of hand, having them lose significant amounts of cash.