subterfuge
/'sʌbtəfju:dʤ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A deceptive strategy or device used to conceal one's true motives or to avoid blame or difficulty: "Subterfuge" refers to a trick or dishonest method employed to achieve a goal, often by hiding the real purpose of an action.
- An artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, or gain an advantage: It describes a clever plan or trick used to get around something.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- His sudden illness was a mere subterfuge to avoid the meeting.
- The company used accounting subterfuges to hide its losses from investors.
- She saw through his subterfuge and realized he was lying.
Advanced Usage
- "A web of subterfuge": A complex series of interconnected deceptions.
- The spy novel involved a tangled web of subterfuge and double agents.
- "To resort to subterfuge": To turn to using deceptive methods.
- When questioned directly, he resorted to subterfuge instead of telling the truth.
Variants and Related Words
- Subterfuges (n): The plural form of subterfuge.
- Their plan was full of elaborate subterfuges.
Synonyms
- Deception: The act of deceiving someone.
- Trickery: The practice of deception.
- Ruse: A cunning plan or action designed to deceive.
- Pretense: An attempt to make something that is not the case appear true.
- Evasion: The action of evading something, especially a direct question or duty.
Related Phrases
- A subterfuge for (something): A deceptive method serving as a cover for something else.
- The charity event was a subterfuge for their political fundraising.
Related Idioms
- "Under the subterfuge of": While pretending to be doing one thing in order to hide the real activity.
- He accessed the files under the subterfuge of performing a system audit.
Noun
- something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity
- he wasn't sick--it was just a subterfuge
- the holding company was just a blind