noun
sleight
slyt
noun
1
Skillful, quick trickery, especially in performing a deceptive feat with the hands.
"The magician's sleight of hand fooled the entire audience."
"It took years of practice to master that particular sleight."
How to Use Sleight
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDexterous, deceptive skill — almost always seen in the fixed phrase "sleight of hand."
Common mistake
Frequently misspelled "slight of hand" — "slight" means small or minor, which is a different word entirely.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sleight of hand
Word Forms
sleights plural
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The magician's _____ of hand fooled the entire audience.
Etymology
From Old Norse slœgð, "cunning" — the same root that gave English "sly."