Roget's Thesaurus

#702. Cunning

Nouns

cunning, craft; cunningness, craftiness etc. adj.; subtlety, artificiality; maneuvering etc. v.; temporization; circumvention. chicane, chicanery; sharp practice, knavery, jugglery; concealment etc. 528; guile, doubling, duplicity etc. (falsehood) 544; foul play. diplomacy, politics; Machiavelism; jobbery, backstairs influence. art, artifice; device, machination; plot etc. (plan) 626; maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile; trick, trickery etc. (deception) 545; ruse, ruse de guerre [Fr.]; finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion; white lie etc. (untruth) 546; juggle, tour de force; tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers; espieglerie [Fr.]; net, trap etc. 545. Ulysses, Machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard; Scotchman; Jew, Yankee; intriguer, intrigant; floater [U.S.], Indian giver [U.S.], keener [U.S.], repeater [U.S.].

Verbs

be cunning etc. adj.; have cut one's eyeteeth; contrive etc. (plan) 626; live by one's wits; maneuver; intrigue, gerrymander, finesse, double, temporize, stoop to conquer, reculer pour mieux sauter [Fr.], circumvent, steal a march upon; overreach etc. 545; throw off one's guard; surprise etc. 508; snatch a verdict; waylay, undermine, introduce the thin end of the wedge; play a deep game, play tricks with; ambiguas in vulgum spargere voces [Lat.]; flatter, make things pleasant; have an ax to grind. dodge, sidestep, bob and weave.

Adjectives

cunning, crafty, artful; skillful etc. 698; subtle, feline, vulpine; cunning as a fox, cunning as a serpent; deep, deep laid; profound; designing, contriving; intriguing etc. v.; strategic, diplomatic, politic, Machiavelian, timeserving; artificial; tricky, tricksy; wily, sly, slim, insidious, stealthy; underhand etc. (hidden) 528; subdolous; deceitful etc. 545; slippery as an eel, evasive etc. 623; crooked; arch, pawky, shrewd, acute; sharp, sharp as a tack, sharp as a needle; canny, astute, leery, knowing, up to snuff, too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff. tactful, diplomatic, politic; polite etc. 894.

Adverbs

cunningly etc. adj.; slyly, slily, on the sly, by a side wind.

Phrases

diamond cut diamond; a' bis ou a blanc [Fr.]; fin contre fin [Fr.]; something is rotten in the state of Denmark [Hamlet].