Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Nearby Entries
wiles - 2 dictionary results

wile

  [wahyl] noun, verb, wiled, wil⋅ing.
Use wiles in a Sentence
–noun
1. a trick, artifice, or stratagem meant to fool, trap, or entice; device.
2. wiles, artful or beguiling behavior.
3. deceitful cunning; trickery.
–verb (used with object)
4. to beguile, entice, or lure (usually fol. by away, from, into, etc.): The music wiled him from his study.
—Verb phrase
5. wile away, to spend or pass (time), esp. in a leisurely or pleasurable fashion: to wile away the long winter nights.
Origin:
1125–75; (n.) ME; late OE wil, perh. < ON vēl artifice, earlier *wihl-

Synonyms:
1, 2. deception, contrivance, maneuver. See trick. 3. chicanery, fraud.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To wiles
wile   (wīl)   
n.  
  1. A stratagem or trick intended to deceive or ensnare.
  2. A disarming or seductive manner, device, or procedure: the wiles of a skilled negotiator.
  3. Trickery; cunning.
tr.v.   wiled, wil·ing, wiles
  1. To influence or lead by means of wiles; entice.
  2. To pass (time) agreeably: wile away a Sunday afternoon.

[Middle English wil, from Old North French, from Old Norse vēl, trick, or of Low German origin.]
Synonyms: These nouns denote means for achieving an end by indirection or deviousness. Wile suggests deceiving and entrapping a victim by playing on his or her weak points: "He did not fail to see/His uncle's cunning wiles and treachery" (William Morris).
Artifice refers to something especially contrived to create a desired effect: "Should the public forgive artifices used to avoid military service?" (Godfrey Sperling).
Trick implies willful deception: "The ... boys ... had all sorts of tricks to prevent us from winning" (W.H. Hudson).
Ruse stresses the creation of a false impression: Your pretended deafness was a ruse to enable you to learn our plans, wasn't it?
Feint denotes a deceptive act calculated to distract attention from one's real purpose: One person bumped into me as a feint while the other stole my wallet.
Stratagem implies carefully planned deception used to achieve an objective: The manager used ruthless stratagems to win the promotion.
Maneuver often applies to a single strategic move: "To this day they always speak of that Reform Bill as if it had been a dishonest maneuver" (The Standard).
Dodge stresses shifty and ingenious deception: "'It was all false, of course?' 'All, sir,' replied Mr. Weller, ' ... artful dodge'" (Charles Dickens).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see wiles on Thesaurus | Reference