Chicane
/ʃɪˈkeɪn/noun
A deceptive or underhanded trick, especially in legal or political maneuvering.
Did you know?In French, the related verb *chicaner* meant to quibble or wrangle, and the word’s history is tangled with the idea of petty argument as a kind of verbal sleight of hand.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
French
chicaner
“To quibble, wrangle, or use petty legal objections”
Late 16th Century
English
chicane
“A legal quibble or trick; a deceptive device”
17th Century
English
chicanery
“Trickery, subterfuge, or underhanded manipulation”
Modern English
English
chicane
“A cunning trick or deceptive maneuver”