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Definition of Cunning
1. Noun. Shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception.
Generic synonyms: Astuteness, Perspicaciousness, Perspicacity, Shrewdness
Derivative terms: Crafty, Crafty, Foxy, Sly, Wily
2. Adjective. Attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness. "A cunning baby"
3. Noun. Crafty artfulness (especially in deception).
4. Adjective. Marked by skill in deception. "A wily old attorney"
Similar to: Artful
Derivative terms: Craft, Craftiness, Dodge, Fox, Foxiness, Slickness, Slickness, Slyness, Trick, Trick, Trickiness, Wile, Wiliness
5. Adjective. Showing inventiveness and skill. "An ingenious solution to the problem"
Similar to: Adroit
Derivative terms: Cleverness, Ingeniousness, Ingenuity
Definition of Cunning
1. a. Knowing; skillful; dexterous.
2. n. Knowledge; art; skill; dexterity.
Definition of Cunning
1. Adjective. Sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour. ¹
2. Adjective. Skillful, artful. ¹
3. Adjective. (rare) Cute, appealing. ¹
4. Noun. (obsolete) Knowledge; learning; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge). ¹
5. Noun. Practical knowledge or experience; aptitude in performance; skill, proficiency; dexterity. ¹
6. Noun. Practical skill employed in a secret or crafty manner; craft; artifice; skillful deceit. ¹
7. Noun. The disposition to employ one's skill in an artful manner; craftiness; guile; artifice; skill of being cunning, sly, conniving, or deceitful. ¹
8. Noun. The natural wit or instincts of an animal. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Cunning
1. crafty [adj -NINGER, -NINGEST] / skill in deception [n -S] - See also: crafty
Lexicographical Neighbors of Cunning
| cunji cunner cunners cunnies cunning (current term) cunning folk cunninger cunningest cunninghams cunningly | cunningman cunningmen cunningness cunningnesses cunnings cunny-catching cunonia family |
Literary usage of Cunning
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Ann Jacobs, Lydia Maria Francis Child (1861)
"I knew his cunning nature too well not to percieve that this was a trap laid for me;
... I resolved to match my cunning against his cunning. ..."
2. The Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon, Clark Sutherland Northup (1908)
"XXII OF cunning WE take cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom. And certainly
there is a great difference between a cunning man and a wise man; ..."
3. The Harvard Classics by Charles William Eliot (1909)
"XXII OF cunning WE take cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom. And certainly
there is a great difference between a cunning man and a wise man; ..."
4. The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. by James Boswell (1901)
"cunning has effect from the credulity of others, rather than from the abilities
of those who are cunning. It requires no extraordinary talents to lie and ..."
5. The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1825)
"cunning differs from wisdom as twilight from open day. ... cunning discovers
little at a time, and has no other means of certainty than multiplication of ..."
6. A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in by John Pinkerton (1812)
"... cunning men on board them. ... and long after, for cunning men and conjurers.
It appears from thence, ..."
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