ruse

Meanings

Noun

• 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

• 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 (modern French ruse ("trick, ruse; cunning, guile")), from ruser, possibly from Latin rursus ("backward; on the contrary; again, in return") or Latin recūsāre, from recūsō.
• The verb is derived from the noun. Compare Middle French ruser ("to use cunning, to be crafty, beguile"); see further above.