Chicane — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /shi-ˈkān/ chi·cane

Meaning & Definition of Chicane

Chicane (verb)

  1. to use chicanery
  2. trick, cheat

Chicane (noun)

  1. chicanery
  2. an obstacle on a racecourse
  3. a series of tight turns in opposite directions in an otherwise straight stretch of a road-racing course

Chicane (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end

    "most get-rich-quick schemes involve more than a smidgen of chicane"

    similar: artifice, chicanery, gamesmanship, hanky-panky, jiggery-pokery, jugglery, legerdemain, skulduggery, subterfuge, trickery, wile
    related: artfulness, caginess, craftiness, cunning, deviousness, foxiness, oiliness, shadiness, sharpness, shiftiness, shrewdness, slickness, slipperiness, slyness, sneakiness, treachery, underhandedness, wiliness, crookedness, crookery, deceit, deceitfulness, deception, deceptiveness, dishonesty, dissimulation, double-dealing, dupery, duplicity, guile, guilefulness, hypocrisy, insincerity, fakery, humbuggery, imposture, quackery, dirty pool, dirty tricks, design, plotting, scheming, secrecy, stealth
    near: artlessness, forthrightness, guilelessness, ingenuousness, sincerity, candidness, candor, directness, openness, plainness, plainspokenness

Chicane (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to use dishonest methods to achieve a goal

    "a lawyer who is so notorious for chicaning that the guilty invariably seek his services"

    similar: cheat, finagle, fudge
    related: crib, color, distort, falsify, misinterpret, misrepresent, misstate, pervert, twist, warp, doctor, fake, tamper (with), elaborate, embellish, embroider, exaggerate, magnify, pad, stretch, dodge, evade, hedge

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Chicane

The most common words with a similar meaning to Chicane:

artifice, chicanery, gamesmanship, hanky-panky, jiggery-pokery, jugglery, legerdemain, skulduggery, subterfuge, trickery, wile, cheat, finagle, fudge

Related Words for Chicane

artfulness, caginess, craftiness, cunning, deviousness, foxiness, oiliness, shadiness, sharpness, shiftiness, shrewdness, slickness, slipperiness, slyness, sneakiness, treachery, underhandedness, wiliness, crookedness, crookery, deceit, deceitfulness, deception, deceptiveness, dishonesty, dissimulation, double-dealing, dupery, duplicity, guile

Near Antonyms of Chicane

artlessness, forthrightness, guilelessness, ingenuousness, sincerity, candidness, candor, directness, openness, plainness, plainspokenness

Word Forms of Chicane

Inflections: chicaned, chicaning

Origin & Etymology of Chicane

borrowed from French chicaner "to dispute by means of quibbles, raise issues with minor points of law in order to complicate a judicial suit," going back to Middle French, "to sue, prosecute," perhaps a blend of the Gallo-Romance expressive base čik- expressing diminutiveness (as in Old Occitan chic "small," French chiquet "small piece") and ricaner "to snicker, laugh affectedly or contemptuously," going back to Middle French, "to bray," probably alteration (by association with rire "to laugh") of Old French (Norman) recaner, rechaner "to bray," from re- re- + -caner, derivative of cane "tooth," going back to Old Low Franconian *kinni- "cheek," going back to Germanic *kinnu- chin:1

First known use: circa 1671i

Frequently Asked Questions about Chicane

What does "Chicane" mean?

"Chicane" means to use chicanery. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to use chicanery. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Chicane"?

Other words for "Chicane" include artifice, chicanery, gamesmanship, hanky-panky, jiggery-pokery, jugglery, legerdemain and skulduggery. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Chicane" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Chicane"?

There are 81 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Chicane". Common alternatives include artifice, chicanery, gamesmanship, hanky-panky, jiggery-pokery, jugglery, legerdemain, skulduggery, subterfuge and trickery.

How do you use "Chicane" in a sentence?

Examples of "Chicane" in a sentence: "most get-rich-quick schemes involve more than a smidgen of chicane"; "a lawyer who is so notorious for chicaning that the guilty invariably seek his services".

Is "Chicane" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Chicane" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Chicane"?

"Chicane" is pronounced /shi-ˈkān/ and divided into syllables as chi·cane.

What is the origin of the word "Chicane"?

"Chicane" comes from borrowed from French chicaner "to dispute by means of quibbles, raise issues with minor points of law in order to complicate a judicial suit," going back to Middle French, "to sue, prosecute," perhaps a blend of the Gallo-Romance expressive base čik- expressing diminutiveness (as in Old Occitan chic "small," French chiquet "small piece") and ricaner "to snicker, laugh affectedly or contemptuously," going back to Middle French, "to bray," probably alteration (by association with rire "to laugh") of Old French (Norman) recaner, rechaner "to bray," from re- re- + -caner, derivative of cane "tooth," going back to Old Low Franconian *kinni- "cheek," going back to Germanic *kinnu- chin:1. First known use: circa 1671i.

What is another word for "Chicane" meaning "the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end"?

When "Chicane" (noun) means the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end, synonyms include artifice, chicanery, gamesmanship, hanky-panky, jiggery-pokery and jugglery.