sleight-of-hand
Dexterous deceptive manipulation
Sleight-of-hand is manual dexterity used to perform tricks, especially by magicians who make objects appear, disappear, or transform: The card trick relied on sleight-of-hand, not gimmicked props.
The term extends to any skillful deception or misdirection: The accounting was pure sleight-of-hand—profits disguised as revenue.
Misleading sensory impression
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- card trickIllusion using playing deck
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
- palmingHiding object in hand
vanish · coin trick · close-up magic · manipulation · dexterity · cups and balls · deck · shuffle
Deliberate deception or fraud
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
ruse · chicanery · duplicity · smoke and mirrors · con · swindle · hustle · bamboozle
Skillful hand coordination
- nimblenessEase of quick movement
- agilityQuickness and ease
- finesseSubtle, deft handling
- adroitnessSkillful ease in action
precision · practice · technique · mastery · manual dexterity · timing · control · muscle memory
illusion
Misleading sensory impression
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- card trickIllusion using playing deck
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
palming · vanish · coin trick · close-up magic · manipulation · dexterity · cups and balls · deck · shuffle · force
trickery
Deliberate deception or fraud
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
craftiness · ruse · chicanery · duplicity · smoke and mirrors · con · swindle · hustle · bamboozle · mislead
dexterity
Skillful hand coordination
- nimblenessEase of quick movement
- agilityQuickness and ease
- finesseSubtle, deft handling
adroitness · precision · practice · technique · mastery · manual dexterity · timing · control · muscle memory · touch
sleight-of-handtransparency
State of being see-through
full disclosure · honesty · forthrightness · openness · candor
sleight-of-handfull disclosure
Withholding no information
behind-the-scenes · exposé · tutorial · demonstration · laying bare
sleight-of-handclumsiness
Lack of physical grace
fumbling · ham-fistedness · butterfingers · awkwardness · gracelessness
sleight, hand, sleights, hands, handed, handy, handle, handily, handedness