Noun

(en noun)

A daring or adventurous act; an undertaking which goes against convention.

* 1724 , :

The Manner of living among the Portugueze here is, with the utmost Frugality and Temperance. . . . The best of them (excepting the Governor now and then) neither pay nor receive any Visits of Escapade or Recreation.

* 1816 , , The Antiquary - Volume II , ch. 9:

[Nobody] stood more confounded than Oldbuck at this sudden escapade of his nephew. "Is the devil in him," was his first exclamation, "to go to disturb the brute?"

* 1918 , , Piccadilly Jim , ch. 1:

He is always doing something to make himself notorious. There was that breach-of-promise case, and that fight at the political meeting, and his escapades at Monte Carlo.

* 2011 March 4, , " The Adjustment Bureau''" (film review), ''Time (retrieved 23 March 2014):

He seems on the verge of winning the New York Senate election when the New York Post runs a photo of David’s exposed butt in a mooning escapade from his college days.

Noun

(en noun)

Something designed to fool or swindle.

A single piece (or business) of a magician's (or any variety entertainer's) act.

An effective, clever or quick way of doing something.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Welcome to the plastisphere , passage=Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.}}

Mischievous or annoying behavior; a prank.

the tricks of boys

(Prior)

(dated) A particular habit or manner; a peculiarity; a trait.

a trick''' of drumming with the fingers; a '''trick of frowning

* William Shakespeare, King Lear act IV, scene VI:

The trick of that voice I do well remember.

* William Shakespeare,King John Act I, scene I

He hath a trick of Cœur de Lion's face.

A knot, braid, or plait of hair.

(Ben Jonson)

(card games) A sequence in which each player plays a card and a winning play is determined.

* Alexander Pope

On one nice trick depends the general fate.

(slang) An act of prostitution. Generally used with turn .

(slang) A customer to a prostitute.

An entertaining difficult physical action.

A daily period of work, especially in shift-based jobs.

* 1885 , Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen, The Conductor and Brakeman , page 496:

On third trick from 12 m. to 8 am, we have W. A. White, formerly operator at Wallula, who thus far has given general satisfaction.

* 1899 , New York (State), Bureau of Statistics, Deptartment of Labor, Annual Report :

Woodside Junction—On 8 hour basis, first trick' $60, second '''trick''' $60, third ' trick $50.

* 1949 , Labor arbitration reports , page 738:

The Union contends that Fifer was entitled to promotion to the position of Group Leader on the third trick in the Core Room Department.

(nautical) A sailor's spell of work at the helm, usually two hours long.

A toy; a trifle; a plaything.

(Shakespeare)