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an act or instance of .
Usually, machinations. crafty schemes; plots; intrigues.
Historical Examples

It was not the machination or revenge of a disappointed suitor.
Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, No. 12, May, 1851. Various

It is pleasant to record that all this match-making and machination came to naught.
Child Life in Colonial Days Alice Morse Earle

Never was frail and trembling mortal less prepared to encounter with machination, and to brave unheard of dangers.
Imogen William Godwin

His elevation to the presidency was the act of his fellow-citizens—not the machination of himself.
Thirty Years’ View (Vol. II of 2) Thomas Hart Benton

Disunion is at the bottom of this long-concealed Texas machination.
Thirty Years’ View (Vol. II of 2) Thomas Hart Benton

The characters of all these personages were unblemished and respectable, until this machination was detected.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.II. Tobias Smollett

All MacTaggart’s anger rose against madame for her machination.
Doom Castle Neil Munro

The villain’s machination, the lover tied to the railroad track, the train dashing to within two inches of its victim.
The Shadow Mary White Ovington

From the moment when Iago sets his machination to work, they are like people sliding down an ice-slope to an inevitable abyss.
Play-Making William Archer

Lauzun was always occupied with some machination, even against those to whom he was indifferent; this kept his hand in.
Louis XIV and La Grande Mademoiselle Arvede Barine

noun
an intrigue, plot, or scheme
the act of devising plots or schemes
n.

late 15c., “a plotting, intrigue,” from Old French machinacion “plot, conspiracy, scheming, intrigue,” from Latin machinationem (nominative machinatio) “device, contrivance, machination,” noun of action from past participle stem of machinari “contrive skillfully, to design; to scheme, to plot,” from machina (see machine). Related: Machinations.