dirty tricks

noun, Informal.

Politics. unethical or illegal campaign practices or pranks intended to disrupt or sabotage the campaigns of opposing candidates.

any similar practices carried out against rival countries or corporations for espionage or commercial purposes.

Origin

1970-75

Related forms

dirty-trickery

[dur-tee-trik-uh-ree] /ˈdɜr tiˈtrɪk ə ri/ (Show IPA), noun

dirty-tricks, adjective

dirty-trickster

[dur-tee-trik-ster] /ˈdɜr tiˈtrɪk stər/ (Show IPA), noun

Slang definitions & phrases for dirty tricks

dirty tricks

modifier

: the Senate Watergate Committee's chief ''dirty tricks'' investigator

noun phrase

Dishonest or underhanded practices, esp in politics; malicious tactics: make into federal crimes many ''dirty tricks'' in presidential and congressional elections/ Mr Clarke called the indictment ''one of the greatest political dirty tricks of all times''

Idioms and Phrases with dirty tricks

dirty tricks

Undercover or clandestine operations and deceitful stratagems in politics and espionage. For example, This campaign has been dominated by the dirty tricks of both sides. The adjective dirty here is used in the sense of “unethical” or “unfair.” The term originally was applied to covert intelligence operations carried out by the Central Intelligence Agency, whose planning directorate was nicknamed “department of dirty tricks.” It later was extended to underhanded activity intended to undermine political opponents and commercial rivals. [ 1940s ]