Contents -AUTHOR INDEX -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.

Class V. Words Releasing to the Voluntary Powers
Division (I) Individual Volition
Section III. Voluntary Action
2. Complex Voluntary Action

702. Cunning.

   NOUN:CUNNING, craft; cunningness, craftiness &c. adj.; subtlety, subtilty, subtility [rare]; the cunning of the -serpent, – Old Boy [slang]; artificiality; maneuvering or manœuvring &c. v.; temporization; circumvention.
  CHICANE, chicanery; sharp practice, knavery, jugglery; concealment [See Concealment]; guile, a nigger in the woodpile [colloq.], doubling, duplicity &c. (false-hood) [See Falsehood]; foul play.
  DIPLOMACY, politics; Machiavellianism or Machiavellism; gerrymander, jobbery, back-stairs influence.
  ARTIFICE, art, device, machination; plot (plan) [See Plan]; maneuver, stratagem, dodge, artful dodge, wile; trick, trickery (deception) [See Deception]; ruse, ruse de guerre [F.]; finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go-by [colloq.], subterfuge, evasion; white lie (untruth) [See Untruth]; juggle, tour de force [F.]; tricks -of the trade, – upon travelers; gold brick [colloq., U. S.], imposture, deception; espièglerie [F.]; net, trap [See Deception].
  SCHEMER, trickster, keener [Western U. S.], Philadelphia lawyer [colloq., U. S.]; sly boots [humorous], fox, reynard; intriguer, intrigant; repeater [U. S. politics], floater [U. S.]; man of cunning [See Proficient]; horse trader; Indian giver [colloq., U. S.].
  Ulysses, Machiavelli or Machiavel; Scotchman, Jew, Yankee.
   VERB:BE CUNNING &c. adj.; have cut one’s eyeteeth; contrive (plan) [See Plan]; live by one’s wits; maneuver or manœuvre; intrigue, gerrymander, finesse, double, temporize, stoop to conquer, reculer pour mieux sauter [F.], circumvent, steal a march upon; outdo, get the better of, snatch a thing from under one’s nose, have a nigger in the wood-pile [colloq.]; overreach [See Deception]; throw off one’s guard; surprise [See Inexpectation]; snatch a verdict; waylay, undermine, introduce the thin end of the wedge; be too much for, be too deep for, sell a gold brick to [colloq., U. S.], give the go-by to [slang]; play a deep game, play tricks with; flatter, make things pleasant; have an ax to grind.
   ADJECTIVE:CUNNING, crafty, artful; skillful or skilful [See Skill]; subtle, subtile, feline, vulpine; cunning as a -fox, – serpent; deep, – laid; profound; designing, contriving; intriguing &c. v.; strategic, diplomatic, politic, Machiavellian or Machiavelian, timeserving; artificial; tricky, tricksy [rare], wily, sly, slim [S. Africa], insidious, stealthy; underhand (hidden) [See Concealment]; subdolous [obs.], double-faced, double-tongued, shifty, deceptive; deceitful [See Deception]; crooked; arch, pawky [Scot. & dial. Eng.], shrewd, acute; sharp, – as a needle; canny or cannie, astute, leery [slang], knowing, up to snuff, [slang] too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff.
   ADVERB:CUNNINGLY &c. adj.; slily, on the sly [colloq.], by a side wind.
   QUOTATIONS:

1. Diamond cut diamond.
2. À bis ou à blanc.
3. Fin contre fin.
4. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.—Hamlet