خَدْعَةٌ
1.
A single act of deceit, delusion, guile, circumvention, or outwitting. (Mgh.) It is said in a tradition, (Mgh, TA,) الحَرْبُ خَدْعَةٌ, and
خُدْعَةٌ, (S, Mgh, Msb, K,) and
خِدْعَةٌ, (K,) and
خُدَعَةٌ, (AZ, Ks, S, Mgh, K,) according to different relaters; (Th, Mgh, K;) the first being the most chaste, (S, Mgh, Msb,) said to be the form used by Mo- hammad; (Th, Mgh, Msb;) the second ascribed by El-Khattábee to the vulgar; (TA;) the last the best in point of meaning: (Mgh:) i. e., according to the first reading, (Mgh,) War is finished by a single act of deceit, &c.; (Mgh, O, K;) according to the second, war is a thing by which one is deceived; (Mgh, Msb;) or war is deceived; for when one of the two parties deceives the other, it is as though the war itself were deceived; (IAth, TA;) [according to the third, war is a mode, or manner, of deceiving;] and according to the fourth, war is a deceiver of those engaged in it (IAth, Mgh, TA) by the frequent deceits which occur therein. (Mgh.)
2.
(tropical:) A slumber. (TA.)