hocus
Conjurer's starting word
Hocus means to deceive or trick, often through sleight of hand or verbal misdirection.
The word comes from *hocus pocus*, the conjurer's incantation.
To hocus someone is to dupe them; to hocus a drink is to drug or adulterate it: Someone had hocused the wine.
The word is old-fashioned and rarely encountered outside historical texts.
Spell-casting utterance
- spellArrange letters correctly
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- conjureSummon by supernatural means
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
wizardry · enchantment · charm · mumbo-jumbo · prestidigitation · illusion · witchcraft · wand
abracadabra
Spell-casting utterance
- spellArrange letters correctly
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- conjureSummon by supernatural means
sorcery · wizardry · enchantment · charm · mumbo-jumbo · prestidigitation · illusion · witchcraft · wand · ritual
trick
Deliberate deception
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- swindleDeception for financial gain
cheat · deceive · dupe · con · bamboozle · hoodwink · scam · flimflam · ruse · fake
spike
Sharp rise or point
doctor · tamper · lace · slip · intoxicate · dope · poison · adulterate · narcotic · drug
hocusenlighten
Impart knowledge or wisdom
inform · level with · disabuse · undeceive · tell the truth
- hocus pocusDeceptive nonsense or incantation