US /ruz/ UK /ruːz/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a trick or stratagem intended to deceive someone

    The phone call was a ruse to get him out of the house.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a trick or stratagem... trickstratagemploysubterfugedodgewileartifice
Word family
Related forms rush

Etymology

From Old French ruse, reuse ('a turning aside, trick'), from ruser ('to dodge, drive back'), of uncertain origin, possibly from Latin recusare ('to refuse') or rursus ('backward').

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