feint
Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
feint
a misleading movement: feint a pass; a pretense
Not to be confused with:
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
feint
(fānt)n.
1.
a. A military attack or maneuver that is meant to divert attention away from a planned point of attack.
b. A body movement that is intended to divert another's attention, often by being deliberately left uncompleted: "The mongoose begins with a feint, which provokes the snake to strike" (Norbert Wiener).
2. A deceptive action calculated to divert attention from one's real purpose. See Synonyms at wile.
v. feint·ed, feint·ing, feints
v.intr.
To make a feint: "He feinted with his left hand, trying to distract the turtle and then grab its tail" (Howard Frank Mosher).
v.tr.
1. To deceive with a feint: He feinted his opponent with a left hook.
2. To do or perform as a feint: feinted a punch.
[French feinte, from Old French, from past participle of feindre, to feign; see feign.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
feint
(feɪnt)n
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
vb
(intr) to make a feint
[C17: from French feinte, from feint pretended, from Old French feindre to feign]
feint
(feɪnt)n
(Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) printing the narrowest rule used in the production of ruled paper
[C19: variant of faint]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
feint
(feɪnt)n.
1. a movement made in order to deceive an adversary; an attack aimed at one place or point to distract from the real target.
2. a feigned or assumed appearance.
v.i. 3. to make a feint: The boxer feinted with his left.
v.t. 4. to make a feint.
5. to make a false show of; simulate.
[1275–1325; Middle English < Old French feinte, n. use of feminine of feint pretended, past participle of feindre to feign]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
feint
In military deception, an offensive action involving contact with the adversary conducted for the purpose of deceiving the adversary as to the location and/or time of the actual main offensive action.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
feint
Past participle: feinted
Gerund: feinting
| Imperative |
|---|
| feint |
| feint |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | feint - any distracting or deceptive maneuver (as a mock attack) |
| Verb | 1. | feint - deceive by a mock action; "The midfielder feinted to shoot" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
feint
noun bluff, manoeuvre, dodge, mock attack, play, blind, distraction, pretence, expedient, ruse, artifice, gambit, subterfuge, stratagem, wile a tiny feint or lunge to one side
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
feint
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
feint
n (Sport) → Finte f; to make a feint → eine Finte anwenden (at gegenüber); he made a feint to the left and shot to the right → er hat links angetäuscht und nach rechts geschossen
vi (Sport) → fintieren, eine Finte anwenden (also fig); he feinted with the left and hit with the right → er hat links angetäuscht und rechts zugeschlagen
feint(-ruled)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995