crafty

/'krɑ:fti/

Thân thiện

A crafty fox quietly sneaks toward a chicken coop at dusk.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Marked by skill in deception: Describes someone who is clever at achieving their aims through indirect, secretive, or dishonest methods. It implies a shrewd, cunning intelligence used to manipulate situations or people.
   • Artfully subtle or ingenious: Can describe a plan, scheme, or method that is cleverly and often deceptively designed.

Usage

• The word "crafty" is used to describe a person's character or their actions. It often carries a negative connotation of slyness or deceit, but can sometimes imply a kind of clever resourcefulness.
• It is typically used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like 'is', 'seems', 'appears').

Examples

• Describing a person:
  • The crafty politician avoided answering the question directly.
  • He was too crafty to be caught in such an obvious trap.
• Describing a plan or action:
  • She devised a crafty plan to win the competition.
  • His escape was a crafty piece of work.

Advanced Usage

• "crafty as a fox": A common simile emphasizing extreme cunning and slyness.
  • The old trader was as crafty as a fox, always getting the better deal.
• Used in literary or formal contexts to describe intricate, clever deceit.
  • The spy relied on crafty subterfuge rather than brute force.

Variants and Related Words

• Craftily (adverb): In a crafty manner.
  • He craftily changed the subject.
• Craftiness (noun): The quality of being crafty.
  • Her craftiness was both admired and feared.

Synonyms

• Cunning: Skilled in deception, often with a focus on ingenuity.
• Sly: Acting with secretive, furtive cleverness.
• Wily: Full of clever tricks; crafty and cunning.
• Guileful: Treacherously cunning; deceitful.
• Artful: Clever or skillful, often in a cunning way.

Antonyms

• Artless: Without guile or deception; natural.
• Ingenuous: Innocent and unsuspecting.
• Naive: Lacking experience, wisdom, or judgment.
• Straightforward: Direct and honest.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• A crafty move: A clever and deceptive action.
  • Switching the documents was a crafty move that went unnoticed.
• Crafty old devil/fox: A (sometimes grudgingly) affectionate or humorous term for a very cunning older person.
  • Don't underestimate him; he's a crafty old devil.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. marked by skill in deception
   • cunning men often pass for wise
   • deep political machinations
   • a foxy scheme
   • a slick evasive answer
   • sly as a fox
   • tricky Dick
   • a wily old attorney