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Glossary Central - Magic glossary Category: General technical and industrial > Magic tricks Date & country: 31/05/2011, USA Words: 136

false deals
To appear to deal the top card when in fact the magician deals a card from another part of the deck. Common false deals include the second deal, the bottom deal, and the middle deal.

false transfer
An object appears to be taken into one hand while actually being retained in the other.

escape artist
A magician who specializes in escapology.

exposure
Revealing the secret method to a magic effect, intentionally or otherwise.

faro shuffle
Also known as the weave shuffle, this technique perfectly interlaces the cards.

escapology
The practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, steel boxes, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks and other perils, often in combination.

equivoque
A method of forcing an specific object on a spectator through a seemingly fair selection process. See force.

effect
The intended and perceived outcome of a magic trick or illusion. What the spectator thinks he or she sees happening.

elmsley count
A false counting method to openly count four cards as four, but conceal one of the four cards. This count is often used in packet tricks.

drop vanish
A coin sleight used to vanish a coin invented by Milt Kort.

ed marlo
Born Edward Malkowski in Chicago, Illinois, October 10, 1913 - November 7, 1991. One of the most notable names in card magic (if not the most notable). Marlo himself coined the term cardician, a term which has since been used for magicians who only perform card magic.

double lift
To lift two cards as one. One of the most useful of modern card sleights.

do as i do
An effect in which the spectator is instructed to mimic the actions of the magician.

dove pan
A domed pan which can be shown to be empty, then able to produce live birds, small prizes, candy, etc.

cull
To secure certain cards at the top or bottom in the act of mixing the cards with the overhand shuffle.

david blaine
A popular modern television magician who combines street magic with demonstrations that test the limits of human endurance.

daub
Conjurer's wax. Used to stick things together temporarily.

deck
A pack of 52 playing cards.

ditch
To get rid of something without being seen.

cups and balls
The cups and balls trick is an old magic effect that has spawned a variety of adaptations. One popularly circulated painting of a man holding two inverted cups over two small round objects has been taken as evidence to suggest that the effect dates back as far as Ancient Egypt.

criss angel
A young multi-talented magician popularized by his television show, "Mindfreak."

crimp
To bend a part of a card, usually a corner, upward or downward, so that its position in the pack may be determined by sight. It is used to locate a single card or a stock which may be above or below the crimped card. It is possible to cut to such a card without glancing at the pack.

cross-cut force
A method of a forcing a card in which the spectator cuts the deck, and later (after a time misdirection) the card on the top of the deck (and not the one they cut to) is revealed.

color change
Visibly changing one card into another card. The magician usually changes the color of the cards.

conjuring
Performing magic.

conjurer
See magician.

confederate
See stooge.

classic force
A method of forcing a card involving timing and spectator control.

copper and silver
An effect involving the transposition of two coins of contrasting metals.

card to wallet
An effect where a card, often signed by a spectator, is found to be inside the magician's wallet.

card
A single playing card from a deck. See playing card.

center tear
Special way of tearing up paper billets used in mentalism so that the center piece, which contains the message, is retained by the magician.

charlier cut
A one handed method to cut cards. An easy to learn card flourish.

close-up magic
Magic that takes place for a small number of spectators, at very close distances.

brainwave
A card effect invented by Dai Vernon, in which the spectator names any card, only to discover that the named card is the only face-up card in a face down deck, and furthermore, than it has a different color back from the other cards.

break
A minute division held in the pack to mark the position of a number of cards or of a single card. In conjuring the break is usually employed when the pack is held in the left hand as for dealing. The flesh at the outermost phalange of the little finger is pressed against the division at the right side at the inner corner (the finger tip is not inserted between the packets) and the remaining finger...