---
title: trickery — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «trickery» in the school dictionary: Trickery is using tricks to deceive or cheat people, making them believe something false. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/trickery/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [T](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/) / trickery

# trickery

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Trickery, people, that, He, fox, Scammers · **What happens:** use, deceive, cheat, make, believe, mean · **To what, where:** tricks, people, something, clever illusions, eye, purpose · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«trickery» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [trickery in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/trickery.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trickery is using tricks to deceive or cheat people, making them believe something false.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:m1:1
# text = Trickery is using tricks to deceive or cheat people, making them believe something false.
1	Trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	using	use	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	tricks	trick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	deceive	deceive	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	cheat	cheat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	believe	believe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	obj	_	_
15	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · progressive | Trickery | tricks |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trick=Patient |
| 2 | **deceive** | to-infinitive | Trickery *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **cheat** | infinitive | Trickery *not said here* | people |  |  |  |  | vn cheat-10.6.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent people=Source |
| 4 | **make** | gerund | Trickery *not said here* | people |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **believe** | infinitive | people *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"He won the game by trickery."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:m1e:1
# text = "He won the game by trickery."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** *in a quote* | past | He | the game |  |  |  | by trickery | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent game=Eventuality |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trickery can also mean clever illusions, as in magic shows or special effects, that fool the eye on purpose for fun.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:m2:1
# text = Trickery can also mean clever illusions, as in magic shows or special effects, that fool the eye on purpose for fun.
1	Trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	illusions	illusion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	magic	magic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	shows	show	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	parataxis	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	special	special	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	effects	effect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	17	nsubj	_	_
17	fool	fool	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	eye	eye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
20	on	on	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
22	for	for	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Trickery | clever illusions |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent illusion=Topic |
| 2 | **fool** | present | that | the eye |  | purpose |  | for fun | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent eye=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fox got the cheese by trickery.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:x1:1
# text = The fox got the cheese by trickery.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cheese	cheese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | the fox | the cheese |  |  |  | by trickery | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer cheese=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scammers use trickery to get people's passwords.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:x2:1
# text = Scammers use trickery to get people's passwords.
1	Scammers	scammer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	passwords	password	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Scammers | trickery |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trickery=Patient |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | Scammers *not said here* | people's passwords |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer password=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The magician's trickery amazed the audience.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:x3:1
# text = The magician's trickery amazed the audience.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	magician	magician	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	amazed	amaze	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	audience	audience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **amaze** | past | the magician's trickery | the audience |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus audience=Experiencer |
| 2 | **trick** |  | the magician |  |  |  |  |  | nom trickery «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The film used clever camera trickery to make the giant look huge.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:x4:1
# text = The film used clever camera trickery to make the giant look huge.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
4	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	camera	camera	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	acl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	giant	giant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	obj	_	_
11	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
12	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | the giant |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **look** | infinitive | the giant *not said here* |  |  |  |  | huge *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Winning by trickery is not really winning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:x5:1
# text = Winning by trickery is not really winning.
1	Winning	win	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	csubj	_	_
2	by	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
6	really	really	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	winning	win	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | by trickery | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **win** | present · progressive | Winning |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Anansi the spider is famous for trickery in West African stories.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:x6:1
# text = Anansi the spider is famous for trickery in West African stories.
1	Anansi	Anansi	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	spider	spider	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	West	West	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
10	African	African	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Anansi |  |  |  |  | for trickery in West African stories; famous *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ref spotted the player's trickery and gave a yellow card.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:x7:1
# text = The ref spotted the player's trickery and gave a yellow card.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ref	ref	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	spotted	spot	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	player	player	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	yellow	yellow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	card	card	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spot** | past | the ref | the player's trickery |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme trickery=Destination |
| 2 | **give** | past | the ref *not said here* | a yellow card |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent card=Theme |
| 3 | **trick** |  | the player |  |  |  |  |  | nom trickery «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But he was on the watch for trickery, and examined it carefully, and saw that it had no power to heal.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickery:x8:1
# text = But he was on the watch for trickery, and examined it carefully, and saw that it had no power to heal.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	watch	watch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	examined	examine	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
17	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
18	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
19	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	ccomp	_	_
20	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	21	det	_	_
21	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	_
22	to	to	PART	TO	_	23	mark	_	_
23	heal	heal	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | he |  |  | the watch |  | for trickery | tree rules |
| 2 | **examine** | past | the watch | trickery |  |  |  | carefully *property* | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 3 | **see** | past | the watch *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 4 | **have** | past | watch | no power |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent power=Patient |
| 5 | **heal** | to-infinitive | watch *not said here* | no power *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [trick](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/trick/)
- next →: [trickle](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/trickle/)
- ↑ back to [T in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/)