Meaning & use
deke
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitiveinformalsport
In ice hockey, to fake a movement to make an opponent go the wrong way.
Grammar: Can be used with or without an object: deke the defender; deke past the goalie.
Patterns
- deke someone
- deke past someone
- deke around someone
The winger deked the defenseman and scored.
He deked past two players before passing the puck.
She loves to deke around the goalie in practice.
verbtransitiveinformalslang
To avoid or trick someone by a clever or deceptive movement, not only in sports.
Grammar: Often used informally: deke someone out of something.
Patterns
- deke someone
- deke out of something
He deked the security guard and slipped into the building.
The company deked its competitors by announcing a fake product.
Don't try to deke me — I know what you're doing.
nouncountableinformalsport
A deceptive move in hockey or other sports.
Grammar: Usually used in sports talk: a nice deke.
Patterns
- a deke
- pull a deke
That was a beautiful deke by the forward.
He pulled a deke and left the defender behind.
The crowd cheered when the player made a quick deke.
Word forms
| third person singular | dekes |
|---|---|
| past tense | deked |
| past participle | deked |
| -ing form | deking |
| plural | dekes |
Common combinations
- deke past
- The player deked past the goalie and scored.
- deke around
- She deked around the defender with ease.
- pull a deke
- He pulled a deke to get past the last defender.
- nice deke
- That was a nice deke in the final period.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fake
- Fake is a general word for a deceptive movement; deke is specific to sports like hockey and is informal.
- feint
- Feint is a more formal term used in boxing and fencing; deke is informal and mainly North American.
- juke
- Juke is used in American football and other sports for a quick deceptive move; deke is more common in hockey.
Commonly confused: deke or deck?
deke vs deck
Deck is a noun meaning a floor of a ship or a set of cards; it sounds similar to 'deke' but is not related.
Practice
The hockey player ______ the goalie and scored an easy goal.
Choose one answer.
The sentence is in the past tense, so the past form 'deked' is correct. 'Deked out' is not a standard phrase; 'deking' is a participle and would need a helping verb; 'dekes' is present tense and does not match the past-time context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “deke”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.