sleights
Magician's deft deceptions
Sleights are clever tricks or deceptions, most often appearing in the phrase sleight of hand—the manual dexterity used by magicians and pickpockets alike.
The word implies skillful, subtle manipulation rather than brute force: The deal was accomplished through financial sleights that regulators missed.
Skillful hand-based illusions
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
- palmingHiding object in hand
card tricks · vanishing · appearing · levitation · escapology · mentalism · close-up magic · stage magic
Deliberate deception or fraud
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- chicaneryDeception through clever manipulation
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
- artificeClever deceptive strategy
dupery · cunning · ruse · ploy · stratagem · manipulation · deceitfulness · underhandedness
Ease of quick movement
- agilityQuickness and ease
- deftnessSkillful ease of movement
- finesseSubtle, deft handling
- adroitnessSkillful ease in action
precision · coordination · handwork · fingering · manipulation · quick hands · manual skill
prestidigitation
Skillful hand-based illusions
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
palming · card tricks · vanishing · appearing · levitation · escapology · mentalism · close-up magic · stage magic · Houdini
trickery
Deliberate deception or fraud
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- chicaneryDeception through clever manipulation
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
artifice · dupery · cunning · ruse · ploy · stratagem · manipulation · deceitfulness · underhandedness · fraudulence
nimbleness
Ease of quick movement
adroitness · precision · coordination · handwork · fingering · manipulation · quick hands · manual skill
sleightsfumbles
Handles clumsily, drops
blunders · bungles · clumsiness · bobbles · botches
sleightstransparencies
Clear sheets for projection
candor · transparency · forthrightness · honesty · openness
- sleight of handSkillful manual deception
- sleight-of-hand expertSkilled manual illusionist