2. That which is devised; a device; a hostile or treacherous
scheme; an artful design or plot.
[1913 Webster]
Devilish machinations come to naught. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
His ingenious machinations had failed. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
machination — [ maʃinasjɔ̃ ] n. f. • XIIIe; de machiner ♦ Ensemble de menées secrètes, plus ou moins déloyales. ⇒ agissements, complot, 1. manœuvre, ruse. Ténébreuses, diaboliques machinations. Être l auteur, la victime d une machination. ● machination nom… … Encyclopédie Universelle
machination — I noun artful dodge, artifice, cabal, collusion, conspiracy, contrivance, covin, crafty design, crafty device, crafty plan, design, dodge, dolus, foul play, intrigue, jugglery, machina, maneuver, manipulation, plot, ploy, ruse, scheme, stratagem … Law dictionary
machination — (n.) late 15c., a plotting, intrigue, from O.Fr. machinacion plot, conspiracy, scheming, intrigue, from L. machinationem (nom. machinatio) device, contrivance, machination, noun of action from pp. stem of machinari contrive skillfully, to design; … Etymology dictionary
machination — Machination. s. f. v. Action par laquelle on dresse des embusches à quelqu un pour le surprendre. La machination fut descouverte … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
Machination — (lat.), hinterlistiges Treiben; geheime Ränke; machinieren, Ränke schmieden … Kleines Konversations-Lexikon
Machination — Machination, lat. dtsch., Anstiftung, das Ränkeschmieden; machiniren, anstiften, durch Ränke zu Stande bringen … Herders Conversations-Lexikon
machination — intrigue, conspiracy, *plot, cabal Analogous words: *trick, ruse, stratagem, maneuver, gambit, ploy, artifice, feint, wile … New Dictionary of Synonyms
machination — meaning ‘scheming, laying plots’, is pronounced mak i nay shǝn or mash i nay shǝn … Modern English usage
machination — [n] maneuver, plot artifice, cabal, conspiracy, design, device, dirty work*, dodge*, intrigue, monkey business*, on the make*, ploy, practice, ruse, scheme, sellout, skullduggery*, song and dance*, stratagem, trick; concept 660 … New thesaurus
machination — et tromperie, Fabrica, Machinatio … Thresor de la langue françoyse
