sly´ness

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• ness — ness·ber·ry; ness·ler·iza·tion; ness·ler·ize; ness·ler s; new·fan·gled·ness; new·ness; news·i·ness; nice·ness; nig·gard·li·ness; nig·gard·ness; nigh·ness; nip·pi·ness; no·ble·ness; nois·i·ness; non·cha·lant·ness; north·er·li·ness; north·ness;… …   English syllables

• sly — [ slaı ] adjective 1. ) clever at tricking people or at secretly doing unfair or dishonest things 2. ) a sly smile, look, or remark shows that the person doing it knows something that other people do not know: He made a sly reference to the… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

• sly — [[t]slaɪ[/t]] adj. sly•er sli•er, sly•est sli•est, 1) cunning or wily 2) stealthy; surreptitious 3) mischievous or roguish: sly humor[/ex] 4) idp on the sly, secretly; furtively Idiom. Etymology: 1175–1225; ME sly, sley < ON slŒgr sly, cunning …   From formal English to slang

• sly — mea·sly; sly; sly·ly; sly·ness; tou·sly; …   English syllables

• cun´ning|ness — cun|ning «KUHN ihng», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. clever in deceiving; sly: »a cunning fox. The cunning thief outwitted the police and got away. SYNONYM(S): crafty, artful, guileful. See syn. under sly. (Cf. ↑sly) 2. made, showing, or done with… …   Useful english dictionary

• art´ful|ness — art|ful «AHRT fuhl», adjective. 1. slyly clever; deceitful; crafty: »A swindler uses artful tricks to get people s money away from them. SYNONYM(S): sly. 2. skillful; clever: »His artful settling of the disagreement won everybody s approval …   Useful english dictionary

• craft´i|ness — craft|y «KRAF tee, KRAHF », adjective, craft|i|er, craft|i|est. 1. skillful in deceiving others; sly; tricky: »a crafty villain. The crafty fox lured the rabbit from its hole …   Useful english dictionary

• dev´il|ish|ness — dev|il|ish «DEHV uh lihsh, DEHV lihsh», adjective, adverb. –adj. 1. like a devil; worthy of the Devil; very cruel; wicked: »a devilish temper. SYNONYM(S): diabolical, execrable, fiendish, satanic. 2. mischievous or daring: »The boys played… …   Useful english dictionary

• doubt´ful|ness — doubt|ful «DOWT fuhl», adjective. 1. full of doubt; not sure; undecided; uncertain: »We are doubtful about the weather for tomorrow. 2. causing doubt; open to question or suspicion: »Her sly questions made her sincerity doubtful. Any fact, any… …   Useful english dictionary

• fur´tive|ness — fur|tive «FUR tihv», adjective. 1. done by stealth to avoid being noticed; secret: »a furtive snatch at the candy, a furtive glance into the forbidden room. SYNONYM(S): clandestine, surreptitious. 2. sly; stealthy; shifty: »The thief had a… …   Useful english dictionary