Political Tactics

noun a nautical maneuver in which a vessel alternately backs and fills its sails in order to maneuver in a confined space

verb to maneuver a vessel by alternately backing and filling its sails

• The company had to constantly back and fill in order to comply with the changing regulations.
• I had to back and fill with my schedule to make time for the unexpected meeting.
• She's always back and filling when it comes to making plans.
• His speech was full of back and fill, never getting to the main point.

noun a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill; a fraud

• The charlatan claimed to have special powers to heal people.
• Don't trust that guy, he's a total charlatan.
• That charlatan is just a scam artist.
• His charisma masked his true identity as a charlatan.

noun a sharp turn or curve in a road or track

verb to engage in deceitful or dishonest behavior

• The driver skillfully navigated the chicane on the racetrack.
• Watch out for that chicane coming up ahead, it's a tricky one!
• I hate driving through that chicane, it always messes me up.
• The negotiations hit a chicane when the terms couldn't be agreed upon.

noun a way of avoiding something

• The company implemented strict policies to prevent any circumvention of security protocols.
• They found a way to get around the rules, but it was still considered circumvention.
• Trying to cheat the system by finding loopholes is just another form of circumvention.
• She always manages to find a way to circumvent the obstacles in her path.

noun the practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats

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• The use of coercion in negotiations is generally frowned upon in diplomatic circles.
• I don't like it when people try to use coercion to get their way.
• Using coercion to get what you want is just plain wrong.
• The storm's coercion of the trees made them bend and sway in submission.

adverb in a careful and intentional way; on purpose

• The suspect deliberately tampered with the evidence to cover up his crime.
• She deliberately ignored my texts because she was mad at me.
• He deliberately ghosted me after our date, what a jerk.
• The artist deliberately left the painting unfinished to evoke a sense of mystery.

noun the act of disguising or concealing one's true motives or feelings

• The artist's work displayed a remarkable dissemblance between reality and imagination.
• There was a clear dissemblance between what he said and what he actually meant.
• I can see right through her dissemblance, she's not fooling anyone.
• The dissemblance of the mask hid the true emotions of the actor underneath.

adverb in a cunning or deceitful manner

• She guilefully manipulated the data to support her argument.
• He guilefully convinced his friends to cover for him.
• She guilefully finessed her way out of trouble.
• The politician guilefully danced around the tough questions during the interview.

noun a person who controls or influences others in a clever or unscrupulous way

• The manipulator used cunning tactics to deceive others for personal gain.
• Don't trust that manipulator, he's always up to something sneaky.
• Watch out for that manipulator, he's a real snake in the grass.
• She was a master manipulator, pulling strings behind the scenes to control the outcome.

verb to go around or bypass an opponent in order to gain a tactical advantage

• The general's strategy was to outflank the enemy forces from the south.
• We can outflank them by taking a shortcut through the woods.
• Let's outflank those guys by sneaking up behind them.
• She always knows how to outflank any obstacles that come her way.

noun a glancing blow or hit along the side of something, especially a vehicle

verb to strike or hit with a glancing blow along the side

• The driver was charged with a sideswipe accident on the highway.
• I accidentally sideswiped a parked car while trying to parallel park.
• Watch out for that car, it might sideswipe you if you get too close.
• Her cutting remark felt like a sideswipe to my self-esteem.

noun a mark or stain made by smudging or spreading something

verb to spread or daub (a substance) thinly or untidily over a surface

• The forensic team found a smear of blood on the wall at the crime scene.
• Don't smear your lipstick when you're applying it.
• I can't believe she tried to smear my reputation like that.
• The politician attempted to smear his opponent with false accusations.

noun a type of defensive barrier typically made of stone, used for protection in warfare

verb to obstruct or hinder progress by refusing to communicate or cooperate

• The stonewall surrounding the garden has been standing for over a century.
• I like to sit on the stonewall by the pond and feed the ducks.
• Let's go hang out by the stonewall and chill for a bit.
• Despite the criticism, she continued to stonewall any attempts to change her mind.

noun a plan or scheme, especially one used to outwit an opponent or achieve a goal

• The general devised a clever stratagem to outsmart the enemy.
• She came up with a sneaky stratagem to get out of doing her chores.
• He pulled a fast one with his stratagem to skip class.
• Her stratagem of wearing a fake engagement ring kept unwanted suitors at bay.

noun a place or situation where people seek to achieve an advantage by choosing between different legal jurisdictions or courts for their case

• The practice of forum shopping involves strategically choosing a jurisdiction that is most favorable to one's case.
• Lawyers often engage in forum shopping to find the best legal environment for their clients.
• Some people try to game the system by forum shopping for the most lenient court.
• In a way, politicians engage in forum shopping by selecting the best platform to promote their agenda.

noun a strategic lawsuit against public participation

• The company filed a slapp suit against the whistleblower in an attempt to silence them.
• They're trying to scare me with a slapp suit, but I won't back down.
• Don't worry about their slapp suit, it's just a scare tactic.
• Her words were like a slapp suit, attempting to silence any opposition.

noun a swimming pool that is not clean or has impurities

adjective describing something as unclean or dishonest

• The maintenance staff was called to clean the dirty pool at the hotel.
• Hey, let's go for a swim in that dirty pool over there.
• I wouldn't dip my toe in that dirty pool if I were you.
• It's like jumping into a dirty pool when you get involved in that gossip.