Glossary of terms

  • GUESS: To predict the future or discover what is hidden.
  • ASSISTANT: The magician's helper.
  • DECK: A pack of playing cards. The French deck (hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds) and the Spanish deck (coins, cups, swords and clubs) are mainly used.
  • SHUFFLE: To mix the cards together.
  • CHANGE: To secretly substitute one thing for another.
  • LOAD: Everything hidden somewhere (box, hand, etc.) to make it appear by surprise (ribbons, handkerchiefs…).
  • CUT THE DECK: To separate a group of cards from the top of the pile and move them to the bottom.
  • DITCH: To get rid of an object during the performance.
  • EFFECT: The impression the magician creates on the audience. It is what the audience "sees".
  • PALM: The secret concealment of a small object in the palm of the hand.
  • VANISH: The action of making an object disappear from the hands.
  • STAGE: The area of the theatre where the magician performs.
  • FORCE A CARD: The trick used to make the spectator "choose" the card the magician wants.
  • GAG: A comic effect.
  • SKILL: The main quality a magician must have in his fingers.
  • ILLUSIONISM: The art of creating an illusion and having the audience accept it as something real.
  • SLEIGHT OF HAND: The general name for the tricks a magician performs.
  • MAGIC BOOKS: The best aid for learning sleight of hand. In bookshops or shops specialising in magic you will find an endless number of them. Some are dedicated specifically to card tricks.
  • CLOSE-UP MAGIC: Called "close-up" in English. It is performed very close to the audience.
  • MANIPULATION: The set of manoeuvres and movements (usually with the hands) needed to create an illusion.
  • PROPS: The set of elements needed to perform a trick or routine.
  • SLEIGHT: The combination of two movements at the same time: one the audience sees and one they will not.
  • MAGIC WORDS: Words used to enhance the performance. For example: "Abracadabra", "Hey presto!", "Magia Borras", etc.
  • PREDICT: To reveal something that is going to happen.
  • PRESTIDIGITATION: Literally means "skill at doing quick things with the fingers". It means the same as magic.
  • PRESTIDIGITATOR: Also called "conjurer", the one who performs sleight of hand, the magician in general.
  • EXPLANATION: Description of a magic trick or routine, found in magic books or manuals.
  • ROUTINE: The sequence of tricks a magician performs.
  • TRICK: A feat of skill and dexterity performed to produce certain effects in illusionism.
  • MAGIC WAND: A small wand with supposed magical effects used to enhance the "magical" effect of the tricks.