View source for cunning

{{also|Cunning}}
==English==
{{wikipedia}}

===Pronunciation===
* {{audio|en|en-us-cunning.ogg|a=US}}
* {{rhymes|en|ʌnɪŋ|s=2}}
* {{IPA|en|/ˈkʌnɪŋ/}}

===Etymology 1===
{{root|en|ine-pro|*ǵneh₃-}}
From {{inh|en|enm|cunning}}, {{m|enm|kunning}}, {{m|enm|konnyng}}, alteration of earlier {{inh|en|enm|cunninde}}, {{m|enm|kunnende}}, {{m|enm|cunnand}}, from {{inh|en|ang|cunnende}}, present participle of {{m|ang|cunnan||to know how to, be able to}}, equivalent to {{suffix|en|con|ing}}. Cognate with {{cog|sco|cunnand||cunning}}, {{cog|de|könnend||able to do}}, {{cog|is|kunnandi||cunning}}. More at {{l|en|con}}, {{l|en|can}}.

====Adjective====
{{en-adj}}

# [[sly|Sly]]; [[crafty]]; [[clever]] in [[surreptitious]] behaviour.
#: {{syn|en|Thesaurus:wily}}
#* {{RQ:South Twelve Sermons|passage=They are resolved to be '''cunning'''; let others run the hazard of being sincere.}}
# {{lb|en|obsolete}} [[skillful|Skillful]], [[artful]].
#* {{RQ:KJV|Genesis|25|27|passage=Esau was a '''cunning''' hunter.}}
#* {{RQ:KJV|Exodus|38|23|text=a '''cunning''' workman}}
#* {{RQ:Shakespeare Twelfth Night|I|v|passage=''Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white'' / ''Nature's own sweet and '''cunning''' hand laid on.''}}
# {{lb|en|obsolete}} Wrought with, or exhibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious.
#: {{ux|en|'''cunning''' work}}
#* {{RQ:Spenser Faerie Queene|book=II|canto=VII|stanza=29|passage=Over them Arachne high did lift / Her '''cunning''' web.}}
# {{lb|en|Maine|colloquial|dated}} [[cute|Cute]], [[appealing]].
#* {{quote-book|en|year=1857|author=Barbara H. Channing|title=The Sisters Abroad, Or, an Italian Journey|passage=everybody gives something to the '''cunning''' little boy; his eyes are large and soft, and he wears a pointed hat, and tight breeches, and jacket}}
#* {{RQ:Alcott Old-Fashioned Girl|chapter=XV|passage=“I shan't mind that at all, I like the little house 'cause it's got a garden, and there's a '''cunning''' room with a three-cornered closet in it that I always wanted.{{...}}”}}

=====Derived terms=====
{{col2|en|cunning folk|cunning linguist|cunning linguistics|cunning man|cunning woman|cunningly|cunningness|overcunning|uncunning|collapse=0}}

=====Descendants=====
* {{desc|ja|カンニング|tr1=kanningu|t1=cheating|bor=1}}

=====Translations=====
{{trans-top|sly}}
* Arabic: {{t|ar|مَاكِر}}
* Armenian: {{t+|hy|խորամանկ}}
* Belarusian: {{t+|be|хі́тры}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|лука́в}}, {{t+|bg|кова́рен}}, {{t+|bg|хи́тър}}
* Catalan: {{t+|ca|astut}}, {{t+|ca|murri}}, {{t+|ca|maquiavèl·lic|m}}
* Chinese:
*: Mandarin: {{t+|cmn|狡猾|tr=jiǎohuá}}, {{t+|cmn|狡詐|tr=jiǎozhà}}, {{t+|cmn|狡黠|tr=jiǎoxiá}}
* Czech: {{t|cs|prohnaný}}, {{t|cs|mazaný}}, {{t+|cs|vychytralý}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|sluw}}, {{t+|nl|doortrapt}}, {{t+|nl|geslepen}}, {{t+|nl|leep}}
* Esperanto: {{t+|eo|ruza}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|ovela}}, {{t+|fi|kiero}}
* French: {{t+|fr|rusé}}
* Galician: {{t|gl|renarte}}, {{t|gl|tréfego|m}}, {{t|gl|xistrón|m}}, {{t|gl|solerte}}, {{t|gl|sangual}}, {{t+|gl|pillabán|m}}, {{t|gl|prosmeiro|m}}, {{t+|gl|arteiro|m}}, {{t|gl|galdrido|m}}, {{t|gl|matreiro|m}}
* Georgian: {{t|ka|ცბიერი}}, {{t|ka|მზაკვრული}}, {{t|ka|ქვეშქვეშა}}, {{t|ka|ეშმაკი}}
* German: {{t+|de|gerissen}}, {{t+|de|schlau}}, {{t+|de|listig}}, {{t+|de|durchtrieben}}, {{t+|de|hinterlistig}}, {{t+|de|abgefeimt}}, {{t|de|listenreich}}, {{t+|de|gefinkelt}}, {{t+|de|gefitzt}}
* Gothic: {{t|got|𐌻𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌲𐍃}}
* Greek:
*: Ancient: {{t|grc|κίδαφος}}, {{t|grc|πυκνός}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|ravasz}}, {{t+|hu|dörzsölt}}, {{t+|hu|csalafinta}}, {{t+|hu|cseles}}, {{t+|hu|alattomos}}
* Ingrian: {{t|izh|veekas}}, {{t|izh|kavala}}
* Irish: {{t|ga|glic}}
* Italian: {{t+|it|furbo}}, {{t+|it|astuto}}
* Japanese: {{t+|ja|狡猾|tr=こうかつな, kōkatsu na|alt=狡猾な}}
* Korean: {{t+|ko|교활하다}}
* Kott: {{t|zko|āru}}
* Latin: {{t|la|vafer}}, {{t|la|callidus}}, {{t|la|versūtus}}
* Latvian: {{t|lv|viltīgs|m}}
* Lithuanian: {{t|lt|gudrus|m}}
* Norman: {{t|nrf|rusé}} {{qualifier|Jersey}}
* Old Church Slavonic:
*: Cyrillic: {{t|cu|хꙑтръ}}, {{t|cu|лѫкавъ}}
* Old English: {{t|ang|ġēaplīċ}}
* Ottoman Turkish: {{t|ota|قورناز|tr=kurnaz}}, {{t|ota|آصمق|tr=asmak}}
* Persian: {{t+|fa|مکار|tr=makkâr}}, {{t+|fa|رند|tr=rend}}
* Polish: {{t+|pl|chytry|m}}, {{t+|pl|cwany|m}}, {{t+|pl|przebiegły|m}}, {{t+|pl|sprytny|m}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|astuto}}, {{t+|pt|esperto}}, {{t+|pt|matreiro}}
* Romanian: {{t+|ro|viclean|m}}, {{t+|ro|șiret|m}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|хи́трый}}, {{t+|ru|лука́вый}}, {{t+|ru|кова́рный}}, {{t+|ru|проны́рливый}}, {{t+|ru|до́шлый}}
* Sanskrit: {{t+|sa|धूर्त}}
* Scottish Gaelic: {{t|gd|seòlta}}
* Serbo-Croatian:
*: Cyrillic: {{t|sh|лукав|sc=Cyrl}}, {{t|sh|препреден|sc=Cyrl}}, {{t|sh|подмукао|sc=Cyrl}}
*: Roman: {{t+|sh|lukav}}, {{t+|sh|prepreden}}, {{t+|sh|podmukao}}
* Slovak: {{t|sk|mazaný}}, {{t+|sk|prefíkaný}}
* Slovene: {{t+|sl|zvit}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|astuto}}, {{t+|es|pillo}}, {{t+|es|listo}}, {{t+|es|cuco}}, {{t+|es|pícaro}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|slug}}, {{t+|sv|listig}}
* Tagalog: {{t|tl|tuso}}
* Ukrainian: {{t|uk|хи́трий}}, {{t|uk|лука́вий}}
{{trans-bottom}}

{{trans-top|skillful}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|сръчен}}, {{t+|bg|изкусен}}
* Catalan: {{t+|ca|astut}}, {{t+|ca|murri}}
* Chinese:
*: Mandarin: {{t+|cmn|巧妙|tr=qiǎomiào}}
* Czech: {{t+|cs|šikovný}}, {{t+|cs|obratný}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|handig}}, {{t+|nl|bedreven}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|ovela}}, {{t+|fi|taitava}}
* French: {{t+|fr|talentueux|m}}
* Georgian: {{t|ka|ცბიერი}}
* German: {{t+|de|geschickt}}, {{t+|de|gewandt}}, {{t+|de|ausgefuchst}}, {{t+|de|gewitzt}}, {{t+|de|gewieft}}, {{t+|de|clever}}, {{t+|de|schlau}}, {{t+|de|gefinkelt}}, {{t+|de|ausgeklügelt}}, {{t+|de|gefinkelt}}, {{t+|de|gefitzt}}
* Greek:
*: Ancient: {{t|grc|στρεβλός}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|ügyes}}
* Italian: {{t+|it|ingegnoso}}
* Japanese: {{t+|ja|狡猾|tr=こうかつな, kōkatsu na|alt=狡猾な}}, {{t+|ja|巧妙|tr=こうみょうな, kōmyō na|alt=巧妙な}}
* Latin: {{t|la|callidus}}
* Persian: {{t+|fa|گربز|tr=gorbez}}
* Polish: {{t+|pl|umiejętny|m}}, {{t+|pl|wprawny|m}}, {{t+|pl|zręczny|m}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|astuto}}, {{t+|pt|esperto}}
* Romanian: {{t+|ro|priceput|m}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|уме́лый}}, {{t+|ru|иску́сный}}, {{t+|ru|ло́вкий}}
* Scottish Gaelic: {{t|gd|seòlta}}
* Slovak: {{t|sk|chytrý}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|astuto}}, {{t+|es|ingenioso}}
* Telugu: {{t+|te|నేర్పరి}}
{{trans-bottom}}

{{trans-top|cute}}
* Czech: {{t|cs|rozkošný}}, {{t+|cs|milý}}, {{t+|cs|sladký}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|cuco}}, {{t+|es|mono}}
{{trans-bottom}}

{{checktrans-top}}
* French: {{t+check|fr|rusé}}, {{t+check|fr|astucieux}}, {{t+check|fr|malin}}
* Ido: {{t+check|io|ruzema}}
* Japanese: {{t+check|ja|悪賢い|tr=わるがしこい, warugashikoi}}
* Norman: {{t-check|nrf|malîn}} {{qualifier|Jersey}}
* Norwegian: {{t-check|no|listig}}, {{t-check|no|snedig}}, {{t-check|no|slu}}
* Old English: {{t-check|ang|ġēap}}
* Telugu: {{t+check|te|జిత్తులమారి}}
{{trans-bottom}}

===Etymology 2===
{{root|en|ine-pro|*ǵneh₃-}}
From {{inh|en|enm|cunning}}, {{m|enm|kunnyng}}, partially from {{inh|en|ang|*cunning|pos=verbal noun}}, from {{der|en|ang|cunnan|t=to know how to, be able to}}; partially from {{inh|en|ang|cunnung|t=knowledge, trial, probation, experience, contact, carnal knowledge}}, from {{m|ang|cunnian||to search into, try, test, seek for, explore, investigate, experience, have experience of, to make trial of, know}}, equivalent to {{suf|en|con|ing|id2=gerund noun}}.

====Noun====
{{en-noun|~}}

# [[practical|Practical]] knowledge or [[experience]]; [[aptitude]] in performance; [[skill]], [[proficiency]]; [[dexterity]].
#* {{quote-book|en|year=2005|author=w:Plato|title=Sophist|translator=Lesley Brown|page=236d
|passage=''indeed at this very moment he's slipped away with the utmost '''cunning''' into a form that's most perplexing to investigate.''}}
# Practical skill employed in a secret or crafty manner; [[craft]]; [[artifice]]; skillful [[deceit]]; [[art]] or [[magic]].
#* {{RQ:Shakespeare Tempest|III|ii|text={{smallcaps|Caliban}}: As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer that by his '''cunning''' hath cheated me of the island.}}
# The disposition to employ one's skill in an [[artful]] manner; [[craftiness]]; [[guile]]; [[artifice]]; skill of being cunning, sly, [[conniving]], or deceitful.
# The natural [[wit]] or [[instinct]]s of an animal.
#: {{ux|en|the '''cunning''' of the fox or hare}}
# {{lb|en|obsolete}} [[knowledge|Knowledge]]; [[learning]]; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge).

=====Synonyms=====
* {{l|en|craftiness}}
* {{l|en|foxship}}
* {{l|en|list}}

=====Derived terms=====
* [[wortcunning]]

=====Translations=====
{{trans-top|skill of being sly or deceitful}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|коварство}}, {{t+|bg|лукавство|n}}
* Chukchi: {{t|ckt|гыттагыргын|tr=gyttagyrgyn}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|sluwheid}}
* Esperanto: {{t+|eo|ruza}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|oveluus}}, {{t+|fi|kierous}}
* French: {{t+|fr|fourberie|f}}, {{t+|fr|sournoiserie|f}}
* German: {{t|de|Gerissenheit|f}}
* Greek: {{t+|el|πονηριά|f}}
*: Ancient Greek: {{t|grc|πανοῦργος}}
* Italian: {{t+|it|furberia|f}}, {{t+|it|furbizia|f}}
* Japanese: {{t+|ja|狡猾|tr=[[こうかつ]], [[kōkatsu]]}}
* Latin: {{t|la|versūtia|f}}
* Macedonian: {{t|mk|итрина|f}}
* Maori: {{t|mi|rauhanga}}
* Middle English: {{t|enm|sleighte}}
* Norwegian: {{t|no|snedighet|m}}
* Polish: {{t+|pl|chytrość|f}}, {{t+|pl|cwaniactwo|n}}, {{t+|pl|przebiegłość|f}}, {{t+|pl|spryt|m}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|ardil|m}}, {{t+|pt|astúcia|f}}, {{t+|pt|esperteza|f}}
* Romanian: {{t+|ro|viclenie|f}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|кова́рство|n}}, {{t+|ru|хи́трость|f}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|ardid|m}}, {{t+|es|astucia|f}}, {{t|es|cuquería|f}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|list}}, {{t+|sv|slughet|c}}
* Telugu: {{t+|te|కపటము}}
{{trans-bottom}}

{{trans-top|aptitude}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|сръчност|f}}, {{t+|bg|умение|n}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|kundigheid|f}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|taitavuus}}
* Japanese: {{t+|ja|狡猾|tr=[[こうかつ]], [[kōkatsu]]}}
* Middle English: {{t|enm|sleighte}}
* Polish: {{t+|pl|umiejętność|f}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|habilidade|f}}
* Romanian: {{t+|ro|capacitate|f}},
* Russian: {{t+|ru|уме́ние|n}}, {{t+|ru|иску́сство|n}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|habilidad|m}}, {{t|es|cuquería|f}}
* Telugu: {{t+|te|తరహా}}
{{trans-bottom}}