STRATAGEM DEFINITIONS - 10 definitions found
stratagem n 1: a maneuver in a game or conversation [syn: ploy, gambit, stratagem] 2: an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade; "his testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track" [syn: contrivance, stratagem, dodge] Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003) stratagem noun Etymology: Italian stratagemma, from Latin strategema, from Greek stratēgēma, from stratēgein to be a general, maneuver, from stratēgos general, from stratos camp, army (akin to Latin stratus, past participle, spread out) + agein to lead — more at stratum, agent Date: 15th century 1. a. an artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy b. a cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end 2. skill in ruses or trickery Synonyms: see trick Oxford English Reference Dictionary
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary stratagem (stratagems) A stratagem is a plan that is intended to achieve a particular effect, often by deceiving people. (FORMAL) Trade discounts may be used as a competitive stratagem to secure customer loyalty. = ploy N-COUNT English Explanatory Dictionary stratagem ˈstrætɪdʒəm n. 1 a cunning plan or scheme, esp. for deceiving an enemy. 2 trickery. [ME f. F stratagëme f. L stratagema f. Gk strategema f. strategeo be a general (strategos) f. stratos army + ago lead] Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) Stratagem \Strat"a*gem\, n. [F. stratag[`e]me (cf. Sp. estratagema, It. stratagemma), L. strategema, Gr. ?, fr. ? to be leader of an army, fr. ? a general; ? an army (probably as being spread out; cf. Stratum) + ? to lead. See Agent.] An artifice or trick in war for deceiving the enemy; hence, in general, artifice; deceptive device; secret plot; evil machination. Fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils. --Shak. Those oft are stratagems which error seem, Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream. --Pope. Soule\'s Dictionary of English Synonyms stratagem n. Artifice, device, manaeuvre, intrigue, wile, trick, fetch, dodge, crafty device, machination, plot, plan, scheme, artful contrivance, stroke of policy, finesse, ruse. English Explanatory Dictionary (Synonyms) stratagem ˈstrætɪdʒəm n. trick, artifice, device, dodge, subterfuge, lure, wile, ruse, plan, scheme, plot, intrigue, manoeuvre, ploy, tactic: What stratagem did they use to tempt you to attend this boring affair? Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 151 Moby Thesaurus words for "stratagem": action, ad hoc measure, alibi, answer, apology, art, artful dodge, artifice, bag of tricks, blind, bluff, bosey, cabal, catch, chicanery, chouse, cloak, collusion, color, complicity, complot, confederacy, connivance, conspiracy, contrivance, contriving, countermove, counterplot, coup, course of action, cover, cover story, cover-up, covin, craft, curve, curve-ball, cute trick, deceit, deep-laid plot, demarche, design, device, dirty deal, dirty trick, dodge, effort, engineering, excuse, expedient, facade, fakement, fast deal, feint, fetch, ficelle, finagling, finesse, frame-up, front, gambit, game, gimmick, gloss, googly, grift, guise, handle, hocus-pocus, improvisation, intrigue, joker, juggle, jugglery, jury-rig, jury-rigged expedient, knavery, lame excuse, last expedient, last resort, last shift, little game, locus standi, lure, machination, makeshift, maneuver, maneuvering, manipulation, mask, means, measure, move, ostensible motive, pass, pis aller, plan, play, plot, plotting, ploy, poor excuse, pretense, pretension, pretext, protestation, public motive, put-off, racket, red herring, refuge, resort, resource, rigging, ruse, scheme, schemery, scheming, screen, scurvy trick, semblance, shake-up, sham, shift, show, sleight, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, smoke screen, solution, stalking-horse, step, stopgap, strategy, stroke, stroke of policy, subterfuge, tactic, temporary expedient, trick, trickery, trump, underplot, varnish, veil, web of intrigue, wile, wily device, wire-pulling, working hypothesis, working proposition |
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