[ 'trik ] (noun.) 15th century. Either from Old Northern French trique (related to Old French trichier; French: tricher), of Germanic origin, from Middle High German trechen (“to launch a shot at, play a trick on”); Or from Dutch trek (“a pull, draw, trick”) from trekken (“to draw”), from Middle Dutch trekken, trēken (“to pull, place, put, move”), from Old Dutch *trekkan, *trekan (“to move, drag”), from Proto-Germanic *trakjanan, *trikanan (“to drag, scrape, pull”), from Proto-Indo-European *dreg- (“to drag, scrape”). Cognate with Low Saxon trekken, Middle High German trecken, trechen, Danish trække, and Old Frisian trekka. Compare track, treachery, trig, and trigger.