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tradecraft

tradecraft

4 9.5
Skills and methods that spies use to work secretly and avoid being caught
  • noun
  • /ˈtreɪdˌkræft/
  • Jargon
: técnicas de espionaje
  • I'm sorry but that's not normal guy behaviour, that's tradecraft.
  • spy tradecraft
  • intelligence tradecraft
  • good tradecraft

Even though technology has changed a lot, tradecraft hasn't.

Examples

  • The CIA's failure to provide adequate security for its personnel stems from degradation in the operational tradecraft capabilities of the CIA since the so-called intelligence reforms that followed the 9/11 attacks.

    Blog text (32)
  • The first rule of tradecraft: you can't lose a tail if they don't find you.

  • It's bad tradecraft, but it's worth it to talk to you two ladies.

  • In short, the woman has very poor tradecraft.

    Blog text (1)
  • Virtually every aspect of sound tradecraft was ignored in this episode.

    Blog text (32)
  • This is good tradecraft, to see if anybody's following you.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • FEDC creates opportunities for members to learn from each other and perfect their tradecraft.

    Blog text (24)
  • Based on the extensive use of tradecraft and the nature of his alias, we believe that Mr. Clay is connected to a classified program named Beekeeper.

  • One reason he was certain was that he had known Barnes, a quiet, careful, colorless technician who had gone through the CIA tradecraft course with Carmellini.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The spy master taught agents essential tradecraft skills for preventing detection during missions.

Synonyms

craft
vstradecraft
4 7.5

Skill in getting what you want by tricking people

focuses on practical professional techniques not mainly deceit or cunning
scoutcraft
vstradecraft
  • Specialized
1 7.9

Skills people use to watch quietly and learn about an area or enemy

is broader, covering practical professional techniques beyond only observation and reconnaissance

How Skilled

mastery
27 4.2
expertise
297 4.9
tradecraft
  • Jargon
4 9.5
skill
∞ 1.0
knack
69 3.9

Surface Forms

tradecraft singular
tradecrafts plural

Morphology

tradecraft = trade + craft (semi-transparent) = trade + craft

The compound literally combines 'trade' and 'craft' to mean skills, but the specific specialised sense referring especially to espionage techniques is specialized and not fully predictable for average learners.

Etymology

The word tradecraft comes from trade ('job') and craft ('skill'), as in craftsman or handicraft. So tradecraft means the special skills people learn in a profession, and it is often used for the secret skills spies use in 'spy work'.