A crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends.

synonym: machination.

Roget 961: impurity; uncleanness etc. (filth) 653; immodesty; grossness etc. adj.; indelicacy, indecency; impudicity^†; obscenity, ribaldry, Fescennine, smut, bawdry^†, double entente, equivoque [Fr.].    concupiscence, lust, carnality, flesh, salacity; pruriency, lechery, lasciviency^†, lubricity; Sadism, sapphism^†.    incontinence, intrigue, faux pas [Fr.]; amour, amourette^†; gallantry; debauchery, libertinish^†, libertinage^†, fornication; liaison; wenching, venery, dissipation.    seduction; defloration, defilement, abuse, violation, rape; incest.    prostitution, social evil, harlotry, stupration^†, whoredom, concubinage, cuckoldom^†, adultery, advoutry^†, crim.    con.   ; free love.    seraglio, harem; brothel, bagnio^†, stew, bawdyhouse^†, cat house, lupanar^†, house of ill fame, bordel^†, bordello.    ... show more

Roget 682: activity; briskness, liveliness etc. adj.; animation, life, vivacity, spirit, dash, energy; snap, vim.    nimbleness, agility; smartness, quickness etc. adj.; velocity, etc. 274; alacrity, promptitude; despatch, dispatch; expedition; haste etc. 684; punctuality etc. (early) 132.    eagerness, zeal, ardor, perfervidum aingenium [Lat.], empressement [Fr.], earnestness, intentness; abandon; vigor etc. (physical energy) 171; devotion etc. (resolution) 604; exertion etc. 686.    industry, assiduity; assiduousness etc. adj.; sedulity; laboriousness; drudgery etc. (labor) 686; painstaking, diligence; perseverance etc. 604.1; indefatigation^†; habits of business.    vigilance etc. 459; wakefulness; sleeplessness, restlessness; insomnia; pervigilium^†, insomnium^†; racketing.    movement, bustle, stir, fuss, ado, bother, pottering, fidget, fidgetiness; flurry etc. (haste) 684.    officiousness; dabbling, meddling; interference, interposition, intermeddling; tampering with, intrigue.    press of business, no sinecure, plenty to do, many irons in the fire, great doings, busy hum of men, battle of life, thick of the action.    housewife, busy bee; new brooms; sharp fellow, sharp blade; devotee, enthusiast, zealot, meddler, intermeddler, intriguer, busybody, pickthank^†; hummer, hustler, live man [U.S.], rustler [U.S.].    ... show more

Roget 626: plan, scheme, design, project; proposal, proposition, suggestion; resolution, motion; precaution etc. (provision) 673; deep-laid plan etc. (premeditated) 611; system etc. (order) 58; organization etc. (arrangement) 60; germ etc. (cause) 153.    sketch, skeleton, outline, draught, draft, ebauche [Fr.], brouillon [Fr.]; rough cast, rough draft, draught copy; copy; proof, revise.    drawing, scheme, schematic, graphic, chart, flow chart (representation) 554.    forecast, program, programme, prospectus; carte du pays [Fr.]; card; bill, protocol; order of the day, list of agenda; bill of fare etc. (food) 298; base of operations; platform, plank, slate [U.S.], ticket [U.S.].    role; policy etc. (line of conduct) 692.    contrivance, invention, expedient, receipt, nostrum, artifice, device; pipelaying [U.S.]; stratagem etc. (cunning) 702; trick etc. (deception) 545; alternative, loophole; shift etc. (substitute) 147; last shift etc. (necessity) 601.    measure, step; stroke, stroke of policy; master stroke; trump card, court card; cheval de bataille [Fr.], great gun; coup, coup d'etat [Fr.]; clever stroke, bold stroke, good move, good hit, good stroke; bright thought, bright idea.    intrigue, cabal, plot, conspiracy, complot^†, machination; subplot, underplot^†, counterplot.    schemer, schemist^†, schematist^†; strategist, machinator; projector, artist, promoter, designer etc. v.; conspirator; intrigant etc. (cunning) 702^†.    ... show more

Dutch: manoeuvre, machinatie
Polish: intryga

A clandestine love affair.

Cause to be interested or curious.

synonym: fascinate.

Roget 961: be impure etc. adj.; intrigue; debauch, defile, seduce; prostitute; abuse, violate, deflower; commit adultery etc. n.. ... show more

Roget 702: be cunning etc. adj.; have cut one's eyeteeth; contrive etc. (plan) 626; live by one's wits; maneuver; intrigue, gerrymander, finesse, double, temporize, stoop to conquer, reculer pour mieux sauter [Fr.], circumvent, steal a march upon; overreach etc. 545; throw off one's guard; surprise etc. 508; snatch a verdict; waylay, undermine, introduce the thin end of the wedge; play a deep game, play tricks with; ambiguas in vulgum spargere voces [Lat.]; flatter, make things pleasant; have an ax to grind.    dodge, sidestep, bob and weave.    ... show more

Roget 682: be active etc. adj.; busy oneself in; stir, stir about, stir one's stumps; bestir oneself, rouse oneself; speed, hasten, peg away, lay about one, bustle, fuss; raise up, kick up a dust; push; make a push, make a fuss, make a stir; go ahead, push forward; fight one's way, elbow one's way; make progress etc. 282; toll etc. (labor) 686; plod, persist etc. (persevere) 604.1; keep up the ball, keep the pot boiling.    look sharp; have all one's eyes about one etc. (vigilance) 459; rise, arouse oneself, hustle, get up early, be about, keep moving, steal a march, kill two birds with one stone; seize the opportunity etc. 134, lose no time, not lose a moment, make the most of one's time, not suffer the grass to grow under one's feet, improve the shining hour, make short work of; dash off; make haste etc. 684; do one's best take pains etc. (exert oneself) 686; do wonders, work wonders.    have many irons in the fire, have one's hands full, have much on one's hands; have other things to do, have other fish to fry; be busy; not have a moment to spare, not have a moment that one can call one's own.    have one's fling, run the round of; go all lengths, stick at nothing, run riot.    outdo; overdo, overact, overlay, overshoot the mark; make a toil of a pleasure.    have a hand in etc. (act in) 680; take an active part, put in one's oar, have a finger in the pie, mix oneself up with, trouble, one's head about, intrigue; agitate.    tamper with, meddle, moil; intermeddle, interfere, interpose; obtrude; poke one's nose in, thrust one's nose in.    ... show more

Dutch: biologeren, boeien, fascineren, intrigeren, pakken

Form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner.

synonyms: connive, scheme.

Roget 626: plan, scheme, design, frame, contrive, project, forecast, sketch; devise, invent etc. (imagine) 515; set one's wits to work etc. 515; spring a project; fall upon, hit upon; strike out, chalk out, cut out, lay out, map out; lay down a plan; shape out a course, mark out a course; predetermine etc. 611; concert, preconcert, preestablish; prepare etc. 673; hatch, hatch a plot concoct; take steps, take measures.    cast, recast, systematize, organize; arrange etc. 60; digest, mature.    plot; counter-plot, counter-mine; dig a mine; lay a train; intrigue etc. (cunning) 702.    ... show more

Dutch: intrigeren, kuipen