stratagem

n.

1. A military maneuver designed to deceive or surprise an enemy.
2. A clever, often underhanded scheme for achieving an objective. See synonyms at wile.

[Middle English, from Old French stratageme, from Old Italian stratagemma, from Latin stratēgēma, from Greek, from stratēgein, to be a general, from stratēgos, general : stratos, army + agein, to lead.]

noun

1. A method of deploying troops and equipment in combat: maneuver, tactic. See means.
2. An indirect, usually cunning means of gaining an end: artifice, deception, device, dodge, feint, gimmick, imposture, jig, maneuver, ploy, ruse, sleight, subterfuge, trick, wile. Informal shenanigan, take-in. See honest/dishonest, means.

IN BRIEF: A clever trick for gaining an advantage.

For her own breakfast she will project a scheme, Nor take her tea without a stratagem. — Edward Young (1683-1765)

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: a maneuver in a game or conversation
  Synonyms: ploy, gambit

Meaning #2: an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade
  Synonyms: contrivance, dodge

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - kneb, krigslist, puds

Nederlands (Dutch)
krijgslist, manoeuvre

Français (French)
n. - stratagème

Deutsch (German)
n. - Kriegslist

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - στρατήγημα, τέχνασμα

Italiano (Italian)
stratagemma, trucco

Português (Portuguese)
n. - estratagema (f)

Русский (Russian)
(военная) хитрость, уловка

Español (Spanish)
n. - estratagema, treta

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - krigslist, fint, knep

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
战略, 计谋

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 戰略, 計謀

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 전략, 군략, 책략

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 戦略, 計略

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) خدعه حربيه, حيله‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮תחבולה, תכסיס‬

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