About The Word Sly

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Sly

Sly Meaning & Definition
Sly Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Sly?

[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"

Synonyms | Synonyms for Sly: artful | crafty | cunning | dodgy | foxy | guileful | knavish | slick | tricksy | tricky | wily

Related Terms | Find terms related to Sly:

See Also |

Sly In Webster's Dictionary

\Sly\, a. [Compar. {Slier}or {Slyer}; superl. {Sliest} or {Slyest}.] [OE. sli, slegh, sleih, Icel sl?gr, for sl?gr; akin to Sw. slug, Dan. slu, LG. slou, G. schlau; probably to E. slay, v.t.; cf. G. verschlagen sly. See {Slay}, v. t., and cf. {Sleight}.] 1. Dexterous in performing an action, so as to escape notice; nimble; skillful; cautious; shrewd; knowing; -- in a good sense. Be ye sly as serpents, and simple as doves. --Wyclif (Matt. x. 16). Whom graver age And long experience hath made wise and sly. --Fairfax. 2. Artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily. For my sly wiles and subtle craftiness, The litle of the kingdom I possess. --Spenser. 3. Done with, and marked by, artful and dexterous secrecy; subtle; as, a sly trick. Envy works in a sly and imperceptible manner. --I. Watts. 4. Light or delicate; slight; thin. [Obs.] {By the sly}, or {On the sly}, in a sly or secret manner. [Colloq.] ``Gazed on Hetty's charms by the sly.'' --G. Eliot. {Sly goose} (Zo["o]l.), the common sheldrake; -- so named from its craftiness. Syn: Cunning; crafty; subtile; wily. See {Cunning}.
\Sly\, adv. Slyly. [Obs. or Poetic] --Spenser.

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