Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense feints, present participle feinting, past tense, past participle feinted
verb
In sport or military conflict, if someone feints, they make a brief movement in a different direction from the one they intend to follow, as a way of confusing or deceiving their opponent.
I feinted to the left, then to the right. [VERB preposition/adverb]
They feinted and concentrated forces against the most fortified line of the enemyside. [VERB]
Feint is also a noun.
He placed the ball and tried a couple of feints.
More Synonyms of feint
feint in British English1
(feɪnt)
noun
1.
a mock attack or movement designed to distract an adversary, as in a military manoeuvre or in boxing, fencing, etc
2.
a misleading action or appearance
verb
3. (intransitive)
to make a feint
Word origin
C17: from French feinte, from feint pretended, from Old French feindre to feign
feint in British English2
(feɪnt)
noun
printing
the narrowest rule used in the production of ruled paper
Word origin
C19: variant of faint
feint in American English
(feint)
noun
1.
a movement made in order to deceive an adversary; an attack aimed at one place or point merely as a distraction from the real place or point of attack
military feints
the feints of a skilled fencer
2.
a feigned or assumed appearance
His air of approval was a feint to conceal his real motives
intransitive verb
3.
to make a feint
transitive verb
4.
to make a feint at; deceive with a feint
5.
to make a false show of; simulate
Word origin
[1275–1325; ME ‹ OF feinte, n. use of fem. of feint pretended, ptp. of feindre to feign]
Examples of 'feint' in a sentence
feint
One of them was ours," the driver told him, and added knowledgeably, `That will have been a feint.
Ross, Melville LOHENGRIN (2001)
It had taken Damin quite some time to accept that the forays were genuine, not merely a feint to disguise a more effective attack.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001)
He snorted, lowered his head dangerously, made a feint charge at it; thundered to ano ther halt.
Davis, John Gordon SEIZE THE RECKLESS WIND (2001)
Word lists with
feint
fencing
(noun)
Definition
a misleading movement designed to distract an opponent, such as in boxing or fencing
a tiny feint or lunge to one side
Synonyms
bluff
The letter was a bluff.
manoeuvre
manoeuvres to block the electoral process
dodge
It was probably just a dodge to stop you going away.
mock attack
play
blind
distraction
pretence
He claimed the police beat him up under the pretence that he was resisting arrest.
expedient
I reduced my spending by the simple expedient of destroying my credit cards.
ruse
This was a ruse to divide them.
artifice
the artifice and illusion of sleight-of-hand card tricks
gambit
They said the plan was no more than a clever political gambit.
subterfuge
Most people can see right through that type of subterfuge.
stratagem
a competitive stratagem to secure customer loyalty
wile
Additional synonyms
in the sense of artifice
Definition
a clever trick
the artifice and illusion of sleight-of-hand card tricks
Synonyms
cunning,
scheming,
trick,
device,
craft,
tactic,
manoeuvre,
deception,
hoax,
expedient,
ruse,
guile,
trickery,
duplicity,
subterfuge,
stratagem,
contrivance,
chicanery,
wile,
craftiness,
artfulness,
slyness,
machination,
dodge
in the sense of blind
Definition
a person, action, or thing that serves to deceive or conceal the truth
Synonyms
cover,
front (informal),
screen,
mask,
cloak,
façade,
camouflage,
masquerade,
feint,
smoke screen
in the sense of dodge
Definition
a cunning and deceitful trick
It was probably just a dodge to stop you going away.
Synonyms
trick,
scheme,
ploy,
trap,
device,
fraud,
con (slang),
manoeuvre,
deception,
scam (slang),
gimmick,
hoax,
wheeze (British, slang),
deceit,
ruse,
artifice,
subterfuge,
canard,
feint,
stratagem,
contrivance,
machination,
fastie (Australian, slang)
Nearby words of
feint
feeling
feign
feigned
feint
feisty
felicitate
felicitous
Synonyms of 'feint'
feint
Explore 'feint' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of expedient
Definition
something that achieves a particular purpose
I reduced my spending by the simple expedient of destroying my credit cards.
Synonyms
means,
measure,
scheme,
method,
resource,
resort,
device,
manoeuvre,
expediency,
stratagem,
contrivance,
stopgap,
backstop
in the sense of gambit
Definition
an opening remark or action intended to gain an advantage
They said the plan was no more than a clever political gambit.
Synonyms
tactic,
move,
policy,
scheme,
strategy,
trick,
device,
manoeuvre,
ploy,
stratagem
in the sense of manoeuvre
Definition
a contrived, complicated, and possibly deceptive plan or action
manoeuvres to block the electoral process
Synonyms
stratagem,
move,
plan,
action,
movement,
scheme,
trick,
plot,
tactic,
intrigue,
dodge,
ploy,
ruse,
artifice,
subterfuge,
machination
in the sense of pretence
Definition
a pretext
He claimed the police beat him up under the pretence that he was resisting arrest.
Synonyms
pretext,
claim,
excuse,
show,
cover,
mask,
veil,
cloak,
guise,
façade,
masquerade,
semblance,
ruse,
garb,
wile
in the sense of ruse
Definition
an action or plan intended to mislead someone
This was a ruse to divide them.
Synonyms
trick,
deception,
ploy,
hoax,
device,
manoeuvre,
dodge,
sham,
artifice,
blind,
subterfuge,
stratagem,
wile,
imposture (formal)
in the sense of stratagem
Definition
a clever plan to deceive an enemy
a competitive stratagem to secure customer loyalty
Synonyms
trick,
scheme,
manoeuvre,
plan,
plot,
device,
intrigue,
dodge,
ploy,
ruse,
artifice,
subterfuge,
feint,
wile,
tactic,
gambit
in the sense of subterfuge
Definition
a trick or deception used to achieve an objective
Most people can see right through that type of subterfuge.