Etymology: In sense 1, < Old French trique, Picard and Norman form of triche deceit, treachery, cheating, Norman dialect trique trick (Moisy), going with, and probably verbal noun from, trikier , Norman-Picard form of trichier , trechier , trecier to deceive, cheat, modern French tricher = Provençal trichar , triquar , Italian triccare to cheat; compare also treche v., treacher n., etc. Both noun and verb have in English had developments of signification unknown to French triche and tricher. The origin of the Romanic word is disputed. It was held by Diez to be of German origin; he compared Dutch trek ‘drawing, pull’, which has also the sense ‘trick, cunning’. But most Romanic scholars refer it to a late Latin or Common Romanic *triccāre, alteration of trīcāre, trīcarī, ‘to trifle, play tricks’, < trīcæ ‘trifles, toys’, also ‘subterfuges, quirks, wiles, tricks’: see Storm in Romania V. 172, Ulrich in Zeitschr. f. Rom. Phil. IX. 566.

Etymology: In use from c1530 to 1630, very common from c1550 to 1600. Origin obscure: it does not seem to be connected in sense with trick n. or trick v. On the other hand its two senses correspond closely to senses 2, 3 of trig adj.¹ The latter was at that time only northern; midland and southern speakers may have associated it with the known noun and verb trick, and adopted it in this form. Often alliteratively coupled with trim.

Etymology: < trick n.

Etymology: In branch I not found till late in the 16th cent.; apparently < trick n. (The date of appearance is too late to refer it directly to Norman-Picard French trikier , triquer .) Branches II and III are a little earlier, and may perhaps be of different origin; the last is especially difficult to connect with the primary sense of the verb. Compare sense 11 of the noun.