sly

sly
[[t]sla͟ɪ[/t]]
1) ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n A sly look, expression, or remark shows that you know something that other people do not know or that was meant to be a secret.

His lips were spread in a sly smile...

He gave me a sly, meaningful look.

Derived words:
slyly ADV-GRADED

Anna grinned slyly.

2) ADJ-GRADED (disapproval) If you describe someone as sly, you disapprove of them because they keep their feelings or intentions hidden and are clever at deceiving people.

She is devious and sly and manipulative...

He's a sly old beggar if ever there was one.

Syn:
3) PHRASE: PHR after v To do something on the sly means to do it secretly, often because it is wrong or bad. [INFORMAL]

Was she meeting some guy on the sly?

Syn:
on the quiet

English dictionary. 2008.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sly 3 — Éditeur Sony Computer Entertainment Développeur Sucker Punch Productions Date de sortie …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sly — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sly — is an adjective, meaning one of the following:#Clever in practical matters. #Hiding ones true intentions or goals.Its synonyms are cunning and roguish .Sly is also a proper masculine name, short for Sylvester. It is the name of several famous… …   Wikipedia

  • sly — sly, cunning, crafty, tricky, foxy, insidious, wily, guileful, artful are comparable when they mean having or showing a disposition to attain one s ends by devious or indirect means. Sly implies a lack of candor which shows itself in… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 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 — [slaı] adj [Date: 1200 1300; : Old Norse; Origin: slœgr] 1.) someone who is sly cleverly deceives people in order to get what they want = ↑cunning 2.) sly smile/glance/wink etc a smile, look etc that shows you know something secret ▪ He leaned… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • sly — c.1200, from O.N. sloegr cunning, crafty, sly, from P.Gmc. *slogis (Cf. Low Ger. slu cunning, sly ), probably from base *slog hit (see SLAY (Cf. slay)), with an original notion of able to hit. Cf. Ger. verschlagen cunning, crafty, sly,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • sly — [slī] adj. slier or slyer, sliest or slyest [ME sley < ON slœgr, clever, cunning, lit., able to strike < base of slā & OE slean, to strike: see SLAY] 1. Dial. skillful or clever 2. skillful at trickery or deceit; crafty; wily 3. showing a… …   English World dictionary

  • SLY — est un groupe de heavy metal japonais créé en 1994, formé d ex membres de groupe populaires, notamment le chanteur Minoru Niihara et le batteur Munetaka Higuchi, alors ex membres du groupe Loudness. Après la séparation de SLY en 1998, ils… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • sly — ► ADJECTIVE (slyer, slyest) 1) having a cunning and deceitful nature. 2) (of a remark, glance, or expression) insinuating. 3) (of an action) surreptitious. ● on the sly Cf. ↑on the sly …   English terms dictionary

  • sly|ly — «SLY lee», adverb. in a sly manner; secretly. Also, slily …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”