Slyness: meaning, definitions and examples

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slyness

 

[ ˈslaɪnəs ]

Context #1

in behavior

The quality of being sly or cunning; the ability to deceive or manipulate others in a clever way.

Synonyms

craftiness, cunning, deceitfulness

Examples of usage

  • She used her slyness to outsmart her opponents.
  • His slyness was evident in the way he always seemed to know more than he let on.
Context #2

in appearance

The quality of having a cunning or deceitful appearance; the ability to appear innocent while scheming or plotting.

Synonyms

deceptiveness, duplicity, guile

Examples of usage

  • Her slyness was masked by her sweet smile.
  • The slyness in his eyes betrayed his true intentions.

Translations

Translations of the word "slyness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 astúcia

🇮🇳 चतुराई

🇩🇪 List

🇮🇩 kelicikan

🇺🇦 хитрість

🇵🇱 przebiegłość

🇯🇵 狡猾さ

🇫🇷 ruse

🇪🇸 astucia

🇹🇷 kurnazlık

🇰🇷 교활함

🇸🇦 دهاء

🇨🇿 lstivost

🇸🇰 lstivosť

🇨🇳 狡猾

🇸🇮 pretkanost

🇮🇸 slægð

🇰🇿 айлакерлік

🇬🇪 ცბიერება

🇦🇿 hiyləgərlik

🇲🇽 astucia

Word origin

The word 'slyness' originated from the Middle English 'sli', meaning clever, cunning, or deceitful. Over time, it evolved to 'slyness' in the 17th century, retaining its essence of being cunning or deceitful. The concept of slyness has been portrayed in various literary works and folklore, often associated with characters like foxes known for their cleverness and trickery.

See also: sly, slyboots, slyly.