trick out

English

Etymology

Perhaps from dialectal English trig out (“to dress smartly”), perhaps an alteration of rig out. More at trig.

Verb

trick out (third-person singular simple present tricks out, present participle tricking out, simple past and past participle tricked out)

1. (informal, transitive, of a person or thing) To dress or decorate in an especially fancy, elaborate, or excessive manner.

   Synonyms: adorn, embellish, festoon

   • 1829, [Frederick Marryat], chapter V, in The Naval Officer; or, Scenes and Adventures in the Life of Frank Mildmay. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 150:

     Tom was to be sure, what is called a good boy; he never soiled his clothes, as I did. I was always considered as a rantipole, for whom any thing was good enough. But when I saw my brother tricked out in new clothes, and his old duds covering me like a scarecrow, I appeal to any honourable mind whether it was in human nature to feel otherwise than I did, without possessing an angelic disposition, to which I never pretended; and I fairly own that I did shed not one-fiftieth part so many tears over Tom’s grave as I did over his dirty pantaloons, when forced to put them on.

   • 1869, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter L, in The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrims’ Progress; […], Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company. […], →OCLC:

     We went down a flight of fifteen steps below the ground level, and stood in a small chapel tricked out with tapestry hangings, silver lamps, and oil paintings.

   • 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

     He was tricked out in his best: an immense blue coat, thick with brass buttons, hung as low as to his knees, and a fine laced hat was set on the back of his head.

   • 1913 October, John Galsworthy, chapter VI, in The Dark Flower, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, part I (Spring), page 28:

     That stare was as if he saw her—a doll tricked out in garments labelled soul, spirit, rights, responsibilities, dignity, freedom—all so many words. It was vile, it was horrible, that he should see her thus!

2. (transitive, informal) Of a motor vehicle, etc.: to mod or customize an object, typically for the purposes of personalization and enhancing performance capabilities such as the ability to perform stunts.

   Synonyms: customize, modify

   His friends were particularly impressed with the way he tricked out his Ruckus.

   • 2007 April 5, Davide Kiley, “Ford, Funkmaster Flex Co-Pimp a Ride”, in Bloomberg Businessweek, retrieved 4 Aug. 2010:

     Tricking out cars, trucks, and SUVs with the likes of body kits, engine boosters, custom colors, and wheels has become a $30 billion a year business.

Derived terms

• tricked out (adjective)

Anagrams

• kurtotic, outtrick