Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Chicane \Chi*cane"\, v. i. [Cf. F. chicaner. See Chicane, n.]
To use shifts, cavils, or artifices. --Burke.
[1913 Webster]
Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Chicane \Chi*cane"\, n. [F., prob. earlier meaning a dispute,
orig. in the game of mall (F. mail), fr. LGr. ? the game of
mall, fr Pers chaug[=a]n club or bat; or possibly ultimated
fr. L. ciccus a trible.]
1. The use of artful subterfuge, designed to draw away
attention from the merits of a case or question; --
specifically applied to legal proceedings; trickery;
chicanery; caviling; sophistry. --Prior.
[1913 Webster]
To shuffle from them by chicane. --Burke.
[1913 Webster]
To cut short this chicane, I propound it fairly to
your own conscience. --Berkeley.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Card playing) In bridge, the holding of a hand without
trumps, or the hand itself. It counts as simple honors.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
chicane
n 1: a bridge hand that is void of trumps
2: a movable barrier used in motor racing; sometimes place
before a dangerous corner to reduce speed as cars pass in
single file
3: the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract
money from them) [syn: trickery, chicanery, guile, wile,
shenanigan]
v 1: defeat someone in an expectation through trickery or deceit
[syn: cheat, chouse, shaft, screw, jockey]
2: raise trivial objections [syn: cavil, carp]
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