Sleight-of-hand, also known as legerdemain, is the technique used by a magician (or card sharks) to manipulate small objects such as cards and coins secretly. Sleight of hand is not a branch of magic, but rather, the means in which a magician uses to achieve various aims. They are often difficult, and takes months to accomplish with proficiency and years to master. Mostly, these techniques are used for close-up magic, although also used for stage magic and other areas of magic. These techniques can also be used to deceivingly to cheat in gambling games, to steal, or, in some cases, to claim supernatural powers. It is because of this that the word mostly associates negatively with deceit.
