A devising, planning; a device, design, artifice, contrivance.

The action of contrive, v.1; contrivance; devising.

The action of insidiously plotting, assailing, subverting, etc.; an instance of this.

An instance of this; an act of imagination.

Scheming, plotting; (evil or deceitful) design or intention. Obsolete.

An act or the action of plotting, conspiracy, or treachery. Obsolete (rare after 16th cent.).

The action or process of plotting or contriving; intrigue, scheming. Now rare.

The action of pack, v.2; (now only) spec. the selection or making up of a jury, deliberative body, etc., in such a way as to further a particular end…

The action of plot, v.1 (in various senses); an instance of this.

= contrivance, n.

The action of scheming or falsifying. Cf. manage, v. 3b 10. Obsolete.

The action of tamper, v.1, in various senses: †plotting; meddling, improper interference.

Scottish. Scheming, plotting.

figurative. The fabricating, machinating, or composing of schemes, conspiracies, writings, etc. Obsolete.

The action of contriving or ingeniously endeavouring the accomplishment of anything; the bringing to pass by planning, scheming, or stratagem…

The exertion of tortuous or underhand influence to accomplish some purpose; underhand plotting or scheming.

The action of intrigue, v.

The action of practising policy; scheming.

The action of scheme, v.; planning, contrivance.

The practice of intriguing.

Scheming practices.

The action of a plotter; plotting, scheming.

Trickery, skulduggery, machination, intrigue; teasing, ‘kidding’, nonsense; (usually plural) a plot, a trick, a prank, an exhibition of high spirits…

spec. Behaviour according to unstated rules of strategy; manoeuvring with a view to covert goals; strategizing.

the activity of a wheeler-dealer; = wheeling and dealing n. at wheel and deal, v. derivatives.

The action of wheel, v., in various senses. wheeling and dealing: see wheel and deal, v. Also wheeling-dealing n. adj.