cun·ning (k n  ng)adj. 1. Marked by or given to artful subtlety and deceptiveness. 2. Executed with or exhibiting ingenuity. 3. Delicately pleasing; pretty or cute: a cunning pet. n. 1. Skill in deception; guile. 2. Skill or adeptness in execution or performance; dexterity. [Middle English, present participle of connen, to know, from Old English cunnan; see gn  - in Indo-European roots.]cun ning·ly adv.cun ning·ness n. |
cunning [ˈkʌnɪŋ]
adj
1. crafty and shrewd, esp in deception; sly cunning as a fox
2. made with or showing skill or cleverness; ingenious
n
1. craftiness, esp in deceiving; slyness
2. cleverness, skill, or ingenuity
[Old English cunnende; related to cunnan to know (see can1), cunnian to test, experience, Old Norse kunna to know]
cunningly adv
cunningness n
Cunning
Rare. skill or craftiness. — callid, adj.
crafty or deceitful practice. — jesuitic, jesuitical, adj.
subterfuge or devious and underhanded behavior; low cunning.
the art or process of gaining the advantage in situations by means of crafty or ingenious ploys.
1. the act or process of subterfuge or evasion.
2. the abandoning of a cause or belief; apostasy. — tergiversator, n.
2. the abandoning of a cause or belief; apostasy. — tergiversator, n.
Rare. the state or quality of being foxlike, especially crafty or cunning. — vulpine, adj.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  cunning - shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deceptionastuteness, perspicaciousness, perspicacity, shrewdness - intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings) |
| 2. | cunning - crafty artfulness (especially in deception) artfulness - the quality of being adroit in taking unfair advantage | |
| Adj. | 1. | cunning - attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness; "a cute kid with pigtails"; "a cute little apartment"; "cunning kittens"; "a cunning baby" attractive - pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm; "a remarkably attractive young man"; "an attractive personality"; "attractive clothes"; "a book with attractive illustrations" |
| 2. |  cunning - marked by skill in deception; "cunning men often pass for wise"; "deep political machinations"; "a foxy scheme"; "a slick evasive answer"; "sly as a fox"; "tricky Dick"; "a wily old attorney"artful - marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft; "the artful dodger"; "an artful choice of metaphors" | |
| 3. | cunning - showing inventiveness and skill; "a clever gadget"; "the cunning maneuvers leading to his success"; "an ingenious solution to the problem" adroit - quick or skillful or adept in action or thought; "an exceptionally adroit pianist"; "an adroit technician"; "his adroit replies to hecklers won him many followers"; "an adroit negotiator" |
cunning
adjective
1. crafty, sly, devious, artful, sharp, subtle, tricky, shrewd, astute, canny, wily, Machiavellian, shifty, foxy, guileful He's a cunning, devious, good-for-nothing so-and-so.
crafty frank, ethical, honest, artless, ingenuous
crafty frank, ethical, honest, artless, ingenuous
2. ingenious, subtle, imaginative, shrewd, sly, astute, devious, artful, Machiavellian I came up with a cunning plan.
noun
1. craftiness, guile, trickery, shrewdness, deviousness, artfulness, slyness, wiliness, foxiness an example of the cunning of modern art thieves
craftiness sincerity, candour, ingenuousness
craftiness sincerity, candour, ingenuousness
2. skill, art, ability, craft, subtlety, ingenuity, finesse, artifice, dexterity, cleverness, deftness, astuteness, adroitness He tackled the problem with skill and cunning.
skill clumsiness
skill clumsiness
Quotations
"Cunning is the dark sanctuary of incapacity" [Lord Chesterfield Letters...to his Godson and Successor]
"Cunning is the dark sanctuary of incapacity" [Lord Chesterfield Letters...to his Godson and Successor]
Translations
cunning [ˈkʌnɪŋ]
A. ADJ
cunning [ˈkʌnɪŋ]
adj
[person] (= clever) → malin/igne (pejorative) (= crafty) → rusé(e)
(= clever) [device, idea] → astucieux/euse
cunning
n (= cleverness) → Schlauheit f, → Listigkeit f, → Gerissenheit f; (liter: = skill) → (Kunst)fertigkeit f, → Geschick nt
adj
plan → schlau; person → schlau, gerissen; smile, expression → verschmitzt, verschlagen (pej); (= ingenious) gadget → schlau or clever (inf) → ausgedacht
(US inf) → drollig
cunning [ˈkʌnɪŋ]
cunning [ˈkʌnɪŋ]
1. adj (pej) (crafty) → furbo/a, astuto/a; (clever, device, idea) → ingegnoso/a
cunning [ˈkʌnɪŋ]
1. adj (pej) (crafty) → furbo/a, astuto/a; (clever, device, idea) → ingegnoso/a
adj cunning [ˈkaniŋ]
1 sly; clever in a deceitful way cunning tricks. slu, geslepe, listig مُحْتال، ماكِر лукав mazaný, vychytralý snedig; snu; udspekuleret listig πονηρός, που μπορεί να εξαπατήσει astuto petislik فریبکار؛ مکار ovela rusé עַרמוּמִי चालाक lukav ravasz licik lúmskur furbo ずるい 교활함, 간사함 gudrus, apsukrus, apgaulingas viltīgs bijak sluw slu, listig chytry velhaco şiret ловкий prefíkaný premeten lukav slug, listig เจ้าเล่ห์ hilekâr, kurnaz 狡猾的 хитрий; підступний فريبى، عيار، چالباز xảo quyệt 狡猾的
2 clever a cunning device. vaardige, bekwame, handige مُنَفَّذ بِبَراعه، ذكي، بارِع хитър šikovný, chytrý snild; klog klug έξυπνος ingenioso salakaval زرنگ؛ زیرک näppärä astucieux מְחוּכָּם धुर्त pametan, lukav ügyes pintar kunnáttusamlegur; kænn astuto 巧妙な 정교한 išradingas, puikus gudrs; apķērīgs bijak handig lur, flink sprytny engenhoso ingenios хитроумный šikovný spreten dovitljiv fyndig ฉลาด marifetli 精巧的 вправний; спритний چالاک khéo léo 精巧的
n
slyness or deceitful cleverness full of cunning. sluheid, geslepenheid مَكْر، دهاء، بَراعه، احتيال лукавство prohnanost, mazanost snuhed; list; snilde die Klugheit πονηριά astucia salakavalus مکر؛ فریبکاری viekkaus ruse עַרמוּמִיוּת धूर्तता lukavost ravaszság kelicikan kænska astuzia ずるさ 교묘함 gudrumas viltība helah sluwheid sluhet, listighet spryt simulação viclenie ловкость prefíkanosť premetenost prepredenost slughet, list ความเจ้าเล่ห์ hilekârlık, kurnazlık 狡猾，狡詐 хитрість; підступність چالاكى، عيارى cách cư xử xảo quyệt 狡猾，灵巧
adv cunningly
cunningly disguised. geslepe بمَكْر،باحْتِيال، بِبَراعَه лукаво mazaně listigt; udspekuleret geschickt έξυπνα astutamente, ingeniosamente leidlikult مکارانه ovelasti astucieusement בְּעַרמוּמִיוּת चालाकी से lukavo ügyesen dengan cerdik lymskulega astutamente 巧妙に 교묘하게, 교활하게 gudriai viltīgi dengan bijaksana listig listig, lurt sprytnie engenhosamente cu abilitate ловко prefíkane premeteno prepredeno slugt, listigt อย่างเจ้าเล่ห์ şeytanca 狡猾地 вправно; хитро عيارى سے، چالاكى سے xảo trá 狡猾地
cunning → ماكر rafinovaný snu schlau πανούργος astuto ovela rusé lukav furbo 狡猾な 교활한 listig listig przebiegły astuto хитрый listig เจ้าเล่ห์ kurnaz xảo quyệt 狡猾的
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