do the trick
do the trick (idiom)
/duː ðə trɪk/
Meanings
- To achieve the desired result or solve a problem.
- To be effective or sufficient for a purpose.
- To work successfully in a situation.
- To satisfy or please someone (informal).
Synonyms: work; suffice; be effective; get the job done; be enough; fix it.
Example Sentences
- Adding a bit more seasoning will do the trick and make the dish taste better.
- This simple tool should do the trick for fixing the loose screw.
- Turning the device off and on again might do the trick and remove the glitch.
- A kind message from him was enough to do the trick and cheer her up.
Etymology and Origin
The Etymology of “Trick”
The noun “trick” entered English in the early fifteenth century as a borrowing from Old North French “trique,” denoting deceit, treachery, or a crafty device. This term derived from the verb “trikier,” meaning to deceive or cheat. Scholarly debate surrounds its deeper roots, with one line of inquiry tracing it to Vulgar Latin forms linked to Latin “tricari,” signifying evasive behavior or shuffling, itself connected to “tricae” for trifles or complications. An alternative suggestion points to possible Middle Dutch influence through “trek,” originally a pull or tug that acquired connotations of cunning or artifice. These layers established “trick” as encompassing both fraudulent schemes and skillful maneuvers.
The Semantic Evolution of the Idiom
Over time, “trick” broadened beyond outright deception to include any clever expedient, feat of dexterity, or specialized technique required to achieve a goal. In this expanded sense, the phrase “do the trick” emerged to convey the successful completion of an action or the attainment of a desired outcome, whether literal or figurative. The idiom thus reflects a shift from negative associations of ruse to a neutral or positive emphasis on efficacy, where performing the appropriate “trick” resolves a challenge or fulfills an objective.
Proposed Theories of Origin
Linguistic historians have advanced several interpretations for the idiom’s rise. One posits that it stems directly from the notion of a “trick” as an ingenious or practiced skill, akin to a professional technique that reliably produces results.
Another connects it to contexts of performance or enterprise, where executing a particular stratagem ensures success. A further speculation links the expression to earlier senses of accomplishment in practical or even illicit undertakings, though without evidence of direct ties to card-playing units or magical illusions. These views remain distinct, each highlighting a different facet of “trick” as an effective means rather than a repeated or overlapping concept.
The Earliest Printed Record
The phrase first appears in documented form within a specialized glossary of criminal cant compiled by James Hardy Vaux. In his work, the entry defines it as follows: “DO THE TRICK: to accomplish any robbery, or other business successfully; a thief who has been fortunate enough to acquire an independence, and prudent enough to tie it up in time, is said by his former associates to have done the trick.” This citation dates to the early nineteenth century, marking the idiom’s transition from oral underworld usage into written English.
The Country of Origin
The idiom originated in Britain, specifically within the criminal subculture of early nineteenth-century England. It formed part of the “flash language” spoken among thieves and vagrants, a variety of slang that circulated in London and other urban centers before spreading through convict transportation networks. No credible evidence supports an American or continental European birthplace, confirming its roots in British English vernacular.
Historical Dissemination and Modern Usage
From its initial confinement to British criminal circles, the expression gradually entered broader colloquial speech during the nineteenth century. It shed its exclusive underworld associations and became a standard idiom denoting anything that achieves the intended effect, from simple remedies to complex solutions. This evolution illustrates how specialized slang can permeate general language, retaining its core meaning of efficacy while adapting to everyday contexts across English-speaking regions.
Variants
- do the job
- do the job nicely
- do the business
- do the trick nicely
Similar Idioms
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