trick question
18
5.3
- noun
- /trɪk ˈkwɛsʧən/
:
pregunta capciosa
- I admit it was a trick question under the circumstances.
- ask trick questions
- kind of trick question
- sounds like a trick question
It's kind of a trick question.
- It's kind of a trick question.
- The prosecution even used some trick questions to try to disqualify black jurors, but didn't ask those same questions of white jurors.
- This is one of these trick questions they give you in interviews where they say write the transpose of a matrix with nested loops.
- And I was like, well, I think that's a trick question because Christianity is the truth, but I would say the truth.
Examples
-
It's a trick question; the answer is that you don't.
Blog text (3) -
That was... that was a trick question, right?
-
I feel like it's a trick question, Steve.
-
Is that a trick question?
-
Is this a trick question?
-
You may think this is a trick question.
Blog text (4) -
Hint: this is a trick question.
Blog text (13) -
I'm sure this is a trick question, but your answer lies in the powers granted to the federal government.
Blog text (26) -
I don't think it's a trick question.
Blog text (21) -
Is this a trick question designed to confuse me?
Synonyms
1
9.9
A question or problem meant to catch someone off guard
How Tricky
- Literature
17
8.7
18
5.3
- Jargon
7
5.2
129
4.9
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a question intended to mislead' is directly and compositionally derived from 'trick' (a deceitful act) + 'question' (a request for information); the noun-noun combination transparently signals a question that functions as a trick. This is a common, cross-linguistic combinatory pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will very likely infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Trick question comes from the picture of a question that hides a small trick — like a test item that looks simple but is set to surprise you. So, trick question means a question meant to 'mislead' you or make you answer wrong.