sly

adjective
🔊/slaɪ/
🔊/slaɪ/
Idioms
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  1. (disapproving) acting or done in a secret or dishonest way, often intending to trick people诡诈的;狡诈的 synonym cunning
    • a sly political move诡诈的政治手段
    • (humorous) You sly old devil! How long have you known?你这个老滑头!你知道有多久了?🔊🔊
    • She’s a sly one—never lets on what she’s thinking.她心机很深,从不让别人知道她在想什么。
    Topics Personal qualitiesc2
  2. [usually before noun] suggesting that you know something secret that other people do not know诡秘的(表示自己知道别人不知道的秘密) synonym knowing
    • a sly smile/grin狡猾的微笑/咧嘴
  3. Word OriginMiddle English (also in the sense ‘dexterous’): from Old Norse slœgr ‘cunning’, originally ‘able to strike’ from the verb slá.
Idioms
on the sly
  1. secretly; not wanting other people to discover what you are doing秘密地;偷偷地;背地里
    • He has to visit them on the sly.他只得偷偷地去看望他们。🔊🔊