Legal Definitions - artifice

Definition: Artifice (ahr-tə-fis) is a clever plan or idea, especially one that is intended to deceive.

Examples:

• He used an artifice to get out of trouble.
• The magician's artifice made it seem like he had pulled a rabbit out of his hat.
• The politician's artifice was to promise lower taxes, but then raise them once in office.

The examples illustrate how artifice can be used to deceive or trick someone. In the first example, the person used an artifice to avoid getting into trouble, which means they used a clever plan to deceive someone. In the second example, the magician used an artifice to make it seem like he had done something impossible, which is a common use of artifice in magic tricks. In the third example, the politician used an artifice to win votes by promising something he knew he couldn't deliver.