[syn: magic trick, conjuring trick, trick, magic, legerdemain, conjuration, thaumaturgy, illusion, deception]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Illusion \Il*lu"sion\, n. [F. illusion, L. illusio, fr.
illudere, illusum, to illude. See Illude.]
1. An unreal image presented to the bodily or mental vision;
a deceptive appearance; a false show; mockery;
hallucination.
[1913 Webster]
To cheat the eye with blear illusions. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. Hence: Anything agreeably fascinating and charming;
enchantment; witchery; glamour.
[1913 Webster]
Ye soft illusions, dear deceits, arise! --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Physiol.) A sensation originated by some external object,
but so modified as in any way to lead to an erroneous
perception; as when the rolling of a wagon is mistaken for
thunder.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Some modern writers distinguish between an illusion and
hallucination, regarding the former as originating with
some external object, and the latter as having no
objective occasion whatever.
[1913 Webster]
4. A plain, delicate lace, usually of silk, used for veils,
scarfs, dresses, etc.
Syn: Delusion; mockery; deception; chimera; fallacy. See
Delusion. Illusion, Delusion. Illusion refers
particularly to errors of the sense; delusion to false
hopes or deceptions of the mind. An optical deception is
an illusion; a false opinion is a delusion. --E.
Edwards.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
illusion
n 1: an erroneous mental representation [syn: illusion,
semblance]
2: something many people believe that is false; "they have the
illusion that I am very wealthy" [syn: illusion, fantasy,
phantasy, fancy]
3: the act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas
[syn: delusion, illusion, head game]
4: an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers [syn:
magic trick, conjuring trick, trick, magic,
legerdemain, conjuration, thaumaturgy, illusion,
deception]