sleight
n. countablen. a clever trick or a skillful move, especially one that is hard to see. It often describes a small, quick action that hides a secret.
n. a clever trick or a skillful, dexterous action, typically involving a quick, deceptive movement of the hands. Often used in the context of magic or sports to describe a subtle, effective maneuver.
The magician performed a sleight of hand to hide the card.
The player's sleight of foot allowed him to change direction quickly and avoid the defender.
While the overall strategy was sound, it was the subtle sleight of the legal team in the final hours of the trial that ultimately secured the acquittal.
From Middle English sleighte, sleyght, sleythe, from Old Norse slœgð (“cunning”), from Proto-Germanic slōgiþō, from slōgiz (“cunning”) (whence English sly). Doublet of sly and slöjd/sloyd.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 28, 2026