What does "chicane" mean?
A quibble, a pedantic or dishonest objection; an act of deception.
Chicane
/ʃɪˈkeɪn/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A quibble, a pedantic or dishonest objection; an act of deception.
- Grammar: chicane is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: artifice, bamboozle, barrier, befool.
- Useful contrasts: honesty, open road, straighten.
- Usage evidence: 1775, Edmund Burke, speech on conciliation with America In this character of the Americans, a love of freedom is the predominating feature which marks and distinguishes the whole; and as an ardent is always a jealous affection, your Colonies become suspicious, restive, and untractable whenever they see the least attempt to wrest from them by force, or shuffle from them by chicane, what they think the only advantage worth living for.
How to use "chicane"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chicane" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chicane" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chicane" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chicane" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chicane" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "artifice" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chicane", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A quibble, a pedantic or dishonest objection; an act of deception. countable, uncountable
- 2 A Chicana or Chicano of any gender, or of non-binary gender. uncommon
"[…] Chicanes and Latines that continue to reproduce geographies of domination and exclusion. It strikes me that while Chicanes […]"
- 3 the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them) wordnet
- 4 The use of dishonest means or subterfuge to achieve one's (especially political) goals; chicanery, trickery. countable, uncountable
"1775, Edmund Burke, speech on conciliation with America In this character of the Americans, a love of freedom is the predominating feature which marks and distinguishes the whole; and as an ardent is always a jealous affection, your Colonies become suspicious, restive, and untractable whenever they see the least attempt to wrest from them by force, or shuffle from them by chicane, what they think the only advantage worth living for."
- 5 a movable barrier used in motor racing; sometimes placed before a dangerous corner to reduce speed as cars pass in single file wordnet
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 The holding of a hand without trumps, or the hand itself. countable, uncountable
- 7 a bridge hand that is void of trumps wordnet
- 8 A sharp double bend on a racecourse, designed to prevent unsafe speeds; an obstacle creating a curve. countable, uncountable
"On lap 23, Hamilton got a run on Leclerc into the second chicane after the two had overtaken Nico Hulkenberg's out-of-stop-sequence Renault down the main straight."
- 9 A raised area or other obstacle around which vehicles must drive, especially designed to reduce speed. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To use chicanery, tricks, or subterfuge. intransitive
- 2 raise trivial objections wordnet
- 3 To deceive. transitive
- 4 defeat someone through trickery or deceit wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Chicana or Chicano, and of any gender, or of non-binary gender. not-comparable, uncommon
"... Latine and Chicane workers and families, […]"
Antonyms
Example
"1775, Edmund Burke, speech on conciliation with America In this character of the Americans, a love of freedom is the predominating feature which marks and distinguishes the whole; and as an ardent is always a jealous affection, your Colonies become suspicious, restive, and untractable whenever they see the least attempt to wrest from them by force, or shuffle from them by chicane, what they think the only advantage worth living for."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chicane"?
Common synonyms include: artifice, bamboozle, barrier, befool, bend, bickering.
How do you use "chicane" in a sentence?
1775, Edmund Burke, speech on conciliation with America In this character of the Americans, a love of freedom is the predominating feature which marks and distinguishes the whole; and as an ardent is always a jealous affection, your Colonies become suspicious, restive, and untractable whenever they see the least attempt to wrest from them by force, or shuffle from them by chicane, what they think the only advantage worth living for.
How do you pronounce "chicane"?
Pronounced /ʃɪˈkeɪn/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French chicane.