Words / C2

AHT-if-is/ˈɑːtɪfɪs/

Artifice is clever trickery, or a skilful device used to deceive (formal): a work of artifice, without artifice. Guile and cunning (already in the dictionary) are sly intelligence and tricky cleverness; duplicity (already in the dictionary) is deceitful double-dealing. Specious (already in the dictionary) is of an argument that looks sound. An elegant abstract does not invent a cell.

Meaning

Clever trickery, or a skilful device used to deceive (formal).

Examples

• “Artifice in the abstract does not fill an empty cell.”
• “Guile is sly cunning (already in C2). Cunning is tricky cleverness (already in B2). Duplicity is double-dealing (already in C2). Specious looks sound and is not (already in C2). A neat device can still be honest. A trick that never states the n is a hole. Write the number; then the craft.”

Good to know

Clever trickery; a device. Everyday: trick / device. Close: guile / cunning (already in this dictionary). Contrast: duplicity (double-dealing — already in C2); specious (apparently sound — already in C2). Craft ≠ an n.

Near in meaning

trickery, guile, cunning, device

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