passe-passe

conjuring trick, sleight of hand

noun pas-PAS Rare

Usage Note

Passe-passe is used almost exclusively in the fixed phrase tour de passe-passe, meaning a conjuring trick or, figuratively, a piece of trickery or manipulation. It is invariable (does not take a plural -s in standard usage). The phrase implies deception: un tour de passe-passe comptable is creative accounting.

Examples

"C'est un vrai tour de passe-passe politique."

Natural Translation

That is a real political sleight of hand.

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