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Tending to deceive; having power to mislead, or impress with false opinions; as, a deceptive countenance or appearance. Language altogether deceptive, and hiding the deeper reality from our eyes. Trench. Deceptive cadence (Mus.), a cadence on the subdominant, or in some foreign key, postponing the final close.…

In a manner to deceive.

The power or habit of deceiving; tendency or aptness to deceive.

A deceptive gesture of the pitcher, as if to deliver the ball. Balk line (Billiards), a line across a billiard table near one end, marking a limit within which the cue balls are placed in beginning a game; also, a line around the table, parallel to the sides, used in playing a particular game, called the balk line game…

Contrived for the purpose of making a show, or gaining applause; deceptive; unreal.

Deceptiveness; a deception; a sham. [R.] Carlyle.

Deceptive. [R.]

Apt or fitted to delude; tending to mislead the mind; deceptive; beguiling; delusory; as, delusive arts; a delusive dream. Delusive and unsubstantial ideas. Whewell. -- De*lu"sive*ly, adv. -- De*lu"sive*ness, n.

Deceitful; deceptive. Glanvill.

Tending to elude or deceive; evasive; fraudulent; fallacious; deceitful; deceptive. -- E*lu"so*ri*ness, n.

A copy of anything made, either so as to be deceptive or so as to give every part and detail of the original; an exact copy or likeness. Facsimile telegraph, a telegraphic apparatus reproducing messages in autograph.

Deceptive or false appearance; deceitfulness; that which misleads the eye or the mind; deception. Winning by conquest what the first man lost, By fallacy surprised. Milton.

One who falsifies, or gives to a thing a deceptive appearance; a liar.

To give a fair but deceptive outward appearance to; to embellish; as, to gild a lie. Shak.

A deception for mockery or mischief; a deceptive trick or story; a practical joke. Macaulay.

An unreal image presented to the bodily or mental vision; a deceptive appearance; a false show; mockery; hallucination. To cheat the eye with blear illusions. Milton.

Deceiving by false show; deceitful; deceptive; false; illusory; unreal. Truth from illusive falsehood to command. Thomson.

The quality of being illusive; deceptiveness; false show.

To lead astray as if blind; to persuade to something evil by deceptive arts or flattery; to entice; to insnare; to seduce; to wheedle. Yet have they many baits and guileful spells To inveigle and invite the un unwary sense. Milton.

Cunning; deceit; deceptive practices to effect a purpose; subtle argument; -- an opprobrious use of the word.