Adjacent Words

ploy definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an opening remark intended to secure an advantage for the speaker [syn: gambit, ploy]
2: a maneuver in a game or conversation [syn: ploy, gambit, stratagem]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: probably from employ Date: 1697 1. escapade, frolic 2. a. a tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent b. a devised or contrived move ; stratagem <a ploy to get her to open the door — Robert B. Parker>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. colloq. a stratagem; a cunning manoeuvre to gain an advantage. Etymology: orig. Sc., 18th c.: orig. unkn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ploy Ploy, n. Sport; frolic. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ploy Ploy, v. i. [Prob. abbrev. fr. deploy.] (Mil.) To form a column from a line of troops on some designated subdivision; -- the opposite of deploy. --Wilhelm.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(ploys) A ploy is a way of behaving that someone plans carefully and secretly in order to gain an advantage for themselves. Christmas should be a time of excitement and wonder, not a cynical marketing ploy. N-COUNT: oft adj N, N to-inf, N of -ing

Moby Thesaurus

Byzantine intrigues, art, artful dodge, artifice, backstairs influence, bag of tricks, bat, bender, binge, blind, bluff, bosey, bout, bust, carousal, carouse, catch, celebration, chicanery, chouse, connections, conspiracy, contrivance, coup, craft, curve, curve-ball, cute trick, deals, debauch, deceit, design, device, dirty deal, dirty trick, dodge, drinking bout, escapade, expedient, fakement, fast deal, feint, fetch, ficelle, fling, gambit, game, games, gimmick, googly, grift, hocus-pocus, influence peddling, intrigue, intrigues, joker, juggle, jugglery, knavery, lark, little game, lobbying, lobbyism, maneuver, move, orgy, pass, play, plot, ploys, racket, randan, randy, red herring, revel, ropes, ruse, scheme, schemes, scurvy trick, shift, sleight, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, spree, stratagem, strategy, strings, subterfuge, tactic, tear, toot, trick, trickery, wile, wily device, wingding, wire-pulling, wires