| Machination 1. (n.) The act of machinating. 2. (n.) That which is devised; a device; a hostile or treacherous scheme; an artful design or plot. Thesaurus Entries artifice, behind-the-scenes influence, cabal, chicane, chicanery, collusion, complicity, complot, confederacy, connivance, connivery, conspiracy, contrivance, contriving, counterplot, covin, deep-laid plot, design, designing, devices, dodgery, engineering, expedients, finagling, finesse, foul play, frame-up, gambit, game, influence, intrigue, intriguing, little game, maneuvering, maneuvers, manipulating, manipulation, move, pettifoggery, pettifogging, plot, plotting, ploy, political influence, practice, rigging, ruse, scheme, schemery, scheming, sharp practice, skulduggery, sleight, stratagem, supercherie, tactical maneuvers, tactics, trick, trickery, underhand dealing, underplot, web of intrigue, wile, wire-pulling |