ruse

Meanings

Plural: ruses

Noun

a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture)
A turning or doubling back, especially of animals to get out of the way of hunting dogs.
An action intended to deceive; a trick.
Cunning, guile, trickery.

Verb

To deceive or trick using a ruse.
Of an animal: to turn or double back to elude hunters or their hunting dogs.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English rūse (“evasive movements of a pursued animal; circuitous course taken by a hunter to pursue a game animal”), from Old French rëuse, ruse (“evasive movements of a pursued animal; trickery”) (modern French ruse (“trick, ruse; cunning, guile”)), from ruser (“to use cunning, to be crafty, beguile”), possibly from Latin rursus (“backward; on the contrary; again, in return”) or Latin recūsāre, from recūsō (“to decline, refuse; to object to, protest, reject”). Doublet of recuse and rouse in the latter case.
The verb is derived from the noun. Compare Middle French ruser (“to use cunning, to be crafty, beguile”); see further above.

Synonyms

artifice

Scrabble Score: 4

ruse is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
ruse is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
ruse is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 5

ruse is a valid Words With Friends word