1. Home
2. Idioms
3. sleight of hand

sleight of hand

---

---

sleight of hand

 

1. ways of deceiving people which you need skill to do Some mathematical sleight of hand was required to make the figures add up.

2. quick, clever movements of your hands, especially when performing magic tricks With impressive sleight of hand he produced two pigeons out of his top hat.

See also: hand, of

sleight of hand

Trickery, deviousness, as in By some sleight of hand they managed to overlook all bonuses. This term alludes to the performance of magic tricks with the hands. Its figurative use dates from about 1700.

See also: hand, of