noun
Houdini
noun
1
A skilled escape artist, or someone who slips out of tricky situations.
"The suspect pulled a houdini and vanished before backup arrived."
verb
1
To escape from a difficult or confining situation with surprising speed or skill.
"Somehow he houdinied his way out of the contract."
How to Use Houdini
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo vanish or slip free from a tight spot, named after the famous escape artist.
Common pairings
pull a houdini
houdini act
Word Forms
Houdinied past tense, Houdini-ed past tense, Houdinis plural, Houdinis singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “Houdini”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The suspect pulled a _____ and vanished before backup arrived.
Etymology
From the stage name of magician and escape artist Harry Houdini (1874-1926), who took it in tribute to French magician Robert-Houdin.