Don’t take this as a slight, but there’s really no such
thing as slight of hand. Sure, someone might have dainty little mitts. Maybe we
could say such a person is slight of hand.
But when someone talks about slight of hand as a means of
performing a nifty trick, it’s just plain wrong. The actual expression is
"sleight of hand."
The word “sleight” refers to a certain adeptness and
dexterity, particularly when this is used to fool onlookers. A magician might
demonstrate sleight of hand.
Another word for this is “prestidigitation,” a quick-handedness which shares the same Latin root word (praesto, meaning handy or ready) as the word “presto.”
Another word for this is “prestidigitation,” a quick-handedness which shares the same Latin root word (praesto, meaning handy or ready) as the word “presto.”
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ReplyDeleteThat might be neat.
But remind me please
lest I be teased,
to close my beak
and ne'er to speak.
(I am bound to mistreat a word or desecrate a phrase!)