Cunning Definition & Meaning | Bay Area Crosswords

About The Word Cunning

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Cunning

Cunning Definition And Meaning
What's The Definition Of Cunning? [n] drafty artfulness (especially in deception) [n] shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception [n] shrewdness in deception; "as cunning as a fox" [adj] showing inventiveness and skill; "a clever gadget"; "the cunning maneuvers leading to his success"; "an ingenious solution to the problem" [adj] 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" [adj] attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness; "a cute kid with pigtails"; "a cute little apartment"; "cunning kittens"; "a cunning baby" Synonyms \| Synonyms for Cunning: adroit \| artful \| attractive \| clever \| craft \| craftiness \| crafty \| cute \| dodgy \| foxiness \| foxy \| guile \| guileful \| ingenious \| knavish \| slick \| sly \| slyness \| tricksy \| tricky \| wiliness \| wily Related Terms \| Find terms related to Cunning: ability \| acute \| address \| adept \| adeptness \| adroit \| adroitness \| agility \| airmanship \| ambidexterity \| ambidextrous \| animal cunning \| apt \| arch \| art \| artful \| artfulness \| artifice \| artisanship \| artistic \| artistry \| astute \| authoritative \| bad faith \| bravura \| brilliance \| brilliant \| Byzantine \| cagey \| cageyness \| calculating \| canniness \| canny \| capability \| capacity \| chiseling \| clean \| clever \| cleverness \| collusive \| command \| competence \| control \| coordinated \| coordination \| covinous \| crack \| crackerjack \| craft \| craftiness \| craftsmanship \| crafty \| crooked \| cunning \| cunningness \| cute \| daedal \| Daedalian \| dainty \| deceit \| deceitful \| deceitfulness \| deep \| deep-laid \| deft \| deftness \| delicate \| designing \| devious \| deviousness \| dexterity \| dexterous \| dexterousness \| dextrous \| dextrousness \| diplomacy \| diplomatic \| dishonest \| dishonesty \| dissemblance \| dissimulation \| double \| double-dealing \| double-faced \| doublehearted \| double-minded \| doubleness \| doubleness of heart \| double-tongued \| duplicitous \| duplicity \| efficiency \| excellent \| expert \| expertise \| expertness \| facility \| faithless \| faithlessness \| false \| falsehearted \| falseheartedness \| falseness \| false-principled \| fancy \| feline \| finagling \| finesse \| foxiness \| foxy \| fraudulent \| furtive \| furtiveness \| good \| goodish \| grace \| graceful \| grip \| guile \| guileful \| guilefulness \| handiness \| handy \| horsemanship \| hypocrisy \| improbity \| indirect \| indirection \| ingenious \| ingeniousness \| ingenuity \| insidious \| insidiousness \| inventive \| keen \| know-how \| knowing \| low cunning \| Machiavellian \| Machiavellianism \| Machiavellic \| magisterial \| marksmanship \| masterful \| masterly \| mastership \| mastery \| mignon \| neat \| no mean \| pawkiness \| pawky \| perfidious \| politic \| practical ability \| professional \| proficiency \| proficient \| prowess \| quick \| quickness \| quite some \| readiness \| ready \| resource \| resourceful \| resourcefulness \| satanic cunning \| savoir-faire \| savvy \| scheming \| seamanship \| serpentine \| sharp \| sharpness \| shiftiness \| shifty \| shrewd \| shrewdness \| skill \| skillful \| skillfulness \| slick \| slickness \| slim \| slippery \| sly \| slyness \| smart \| smooth \| snaky \| sneak attack \| sneakiness \| sneaky \| some \| sophistical \| statesmanlike \| stealthy \| strategic \| style \| stylish \| subtile \| subtility \| subtilty \| subtle \| subtlety \| supple \| surreptitious \| surreptitiousness \| tact \| tactful \| tactfulness \| tactical \| technical brilliance \| technical mastery \| technical skill \| technique \| the compleat \| the complete \| timing \| treacherous \| treacherousness \| treachery \| trickiness \| trickish \| tricksy \| tricky \| two-faced \| two-facedness \| underhand \| underhanded \| underhandedness \| virtuosity \| virtuoso \| vulpine \| wary \| well-considered \| well-contrived \| well-designed \| well-devised \| well-done \| well-invented \| well-laid \| well-planned \| well-reasoned \| well-thought-out \| well-weighed \| wile \| wiliness \| wily \| wit \| wizardry \| workmanlike \| workmanship See Also \| artfulness \| astuteness \| perspicaciousness \| perspicacity \| shrewdness Cunning In Webster's Dictionary \Cun"ning\ (k[u^]n"n[i^]ng), a. [AS. cunnan to know, to be able. See 1st {Con}, {Can}.] 1. Knowing; skillful; dexterous. ``A cunning workman.'' -- Ex. xxxviii. 23. ``Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on. --Shak. Esau was a cunning hunter. --Gen xxv. 27. 2. Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious; curious; as, cunning work. Over them Arachne high did lift Her cunning web. --Spenser. 3. Crafty; sly; artful; designing; deceitful. They are resolved to be cunning; let others run the hazard of being sincere. --South. 4. Pretty or pleasing; as, a cunning little boy. [Colloq. U.S.] --Barlett. Syn: {Cunning}, {Artful}, {Sly}, {Wily}, {Crafty}. Usage: These epithets agree in expressing an aptitude for attaining some end by peculiar and secret means. Cunning is usually low; as, a cunning trick. Artful is more ingenious and inventive; as, an artful device. Sly implies a turn for what is double or concealed; as, sly humor; a sly evasion. Crafty denotes a talent for dexterously deceiving; as, a crafty manager. Wily describes a talent for the use of stratagems; as, a wily politician. ``Acunning man often shows his dexterity in simply concealing. An artful man goes further, and exerts his ingenuity in misleading. A crafty man mingles cunning with art, and so shapes his actions as to lull suspicions. The young may be cunning, but the experienced only can be crafty. Slyness is a vulgar kind of cunning; the sly man goes cautiously and silently to work. Wiliness is a species of cunning or craft applicable only to cases of attack and defense.'' --Crabb. \Cun"ning\, n. [AS. cunnung trial, or Icel. kunnandi knowledge. See {Cunning}, a.] 1. Knowledge; art; skill; dexterity. [Archaic] Let my right hand forget her cunning. --Ps. cxxxvii. 5. A carpenter's desert Stands more in cunning than in power. --Chapman. 2. The faculty or act of using stratagem to accomplish a purpose; fraudulent skill or dexterity; deceit; craft. Discourage cunning in a child; cunning is the ape of wisdom. --Locke. We take cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom. --Bacon.

Cunning Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Cunning?

[n] drafty artfulness (especially in deception)
[n] shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
[n] shrewdness in deception; "as cunning as a fox"
[adj] showing inventiveness and skill; "a clever gadget"; "the cunning maneuvers leading to his success"; "an ingenious solution to the problem"
[adj] 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"
[adj] attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness; "a cute kid with pigtails"; "a cute little apartment"; "cunning kittens"; "a cunning baby"

Cunning In Webster's Dictionary

\Cun"ning\ (k[u^]n"n[i^]ng), a. [AS. cunnan to know, to
be able. See 1st {Con}, {Can}.]
1. Knowing; skillful; dexterous. ``A cunning workman.'' --
   Ex. xxxviii. 23.

         ``Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white
         Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on. --Shak.

         Esau was a cunning hunter.            --Gen xxv. 27.

2. Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity;
   ingenious; curious; as, cunning work.

         Over them Arachne high did lift

         Her cunning web.                      --Spenser.

3. Crafty; sly; artful; designing; deceitful.

         They are resolved to be cunning; let others run the
         hazard of being sincere.              --South.

4. Pretty or pleasing; as, a cunning little boy. [Colloq.
   U.S.] --Barlett.

Syn: {Cunning}, {Artful}, {Sly}, {Wily}, {Crafty}.

Usage: These epithets agree in expressing an aptitude for
       attaining some end by peculiar and secret means.
       Cunning is usually low; as, a cunning trick. Artful is
       more ingenious and inventive; as, an artful device.
       Sly implies a turn for what is double or concealed;
       as, sly humor; a sly evasion. Crafty denotes a talent
       for dexterously deceiving; as, a crafty manager. Wily
       describes a talent for the use of stratagems; as, a
       wily politician. ``Acunning man often shows his
       dexterity in simply concealing. An artful man goes
       further, and exerts his ingenuity in misleading. A
       crafty man mingles cunning with art, and so shapes his
       actions as to lull suspicions. The young may be
       cunning, but the experienced only can be crafty.
       Slyness is a vulgar kind of cunning; the sly man goes
       cautiously and silently to work. Wiliness is a species
       of cunning or craft applicable only to cases of attack
       and defense.'' --Crabb.


\Cun"ning\, n. [AS. cunnung trial, or Icel. kunnandi
knowledge. See {Cunning}, a.]
1. Knowledge; art; skill; dexterity. [Archaic]

         Let my right hand forget her cunning. --Ps. cxxxvii.
                                               5.

         A carpenter's desert Stands more in cunning than in
         power.                                --Chapman.

2. The faculty or act of using stratagem to accomplish a
   purpose; fraudulent skill or dexterity; deceit; craft.

         Discourage cunning in a child; cunning is the ape of
         wisdom.                               --Locke.

         We take cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom.
                                               --Bacon.

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