canny

• POS: Adjective, Adverb
• HYPHEN: can=ny

CIDE DICTIONARY

canny, a. [Cf. Icel. kenn skilled, learned, or E. canny. Cf. Kenn.].

•  Artful; cunning; shrewd; wary.  [1913 Webster]
•  Skillful; knowing; capable.  Sir W. Scott.  [1913 Webster]
•  Cautious; prudent; safe..  Ramsay.  [1913 Webster]
•  Having pleasing or useful qualities; gentle.  Burns.  [1913 Webster]
•  Reputed to have magical powers.  Sir W. Scott.  [1913 Webster]

No canny, not safe, not fortunate; unpropitious. [Scot.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

canny, adj. (cannier, canniest)
1 a shrewd, worldly-wise. b thrifty. c circumspect.
2 sly, drily humorous.
3 Sc. & N.Engl. pleasant, agreeable.

Derivative

cannily adv. canniness n.

Etymology

CAN(1) (in sense 'know') + -Y(1)

THESAURUS

canny

Byzantine, Machiavellian, Machiavellic, Scotch, acute, adroit, arch, artful, astute, cagey, calculating, careful, cautious, chary, cheeseparing, circumspect, clever, conserving, crafty, cunning, cute, deceitful, deep, deep-laid, deliberate, designing, devious, dexterous, diplomatic, discreet, economic, economical, economizing, feline, forehanded, foxy, frugal, gingerly, guarded, guileful, heedful, hep, hesitant, ingenious, insidious, inventive, judicious, knowing, labor-saving, leaving out nothing, mindful, money-saving, nimble-witted, noncommittal, on guard, overlooking no possibility, parsimonious, pawky, penny-wise, politic, provident, prudent, prudential, quick, quick-witted, ready, regardful, resourceful, safe, saving, scheming, scrimping, serpentine, sharp, sharp-witted, shifty, shrewd, skimping, slick, slim, slippery, slow to act, sly, smart, smooth, snaky, sneaky, sophistical, spare, sparing, stealthy, strategic, subtile, subtle, supple, tactical, tentative, thorough, thrifty, time-saving, trickish, tricksy, tricky, unadventurous, uncommunicative, undaring, unenterprising, unprecipitate, unwasteful, vulpine, wary, wily

ROGET THESAURUS

canny

Cunning

N cunning, craft, cunningness, craftiness, subtlety, artificiality, maneuvering, temporization, circumvention, chicane, chicanery, sharp practice, knavery, jugglery, concealment, guile, doubling, duplicity, foul play, diplomacy, politics, Machiavelism, jobbery, backstairs influence, art, artifice, device, machination, plot, maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile, trick, trickery, ruse, ruse de guerre, finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion, white lie, juggle, tour de force, tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers, espieglerie, net, trap, Ulysses, Machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard, Scotchman, Jew, Yankee, intriguer, intrigant, floater, Indian giver, keener, repeater, cunning, crafty, artful, skillful, subtle, feline, vulpine, cunning as a fox, cunning as a serpent, deep, deep laid, profound, designing, contriving, intriguing, strategic, diplomatic, politic, Machiavelian, timeserving, artificial, tricky, tricksy, wily, sly, slim, insidious, stealthy, underhand, subdolous, deceitful, slippery as an eel, evasive, crooked, arch, pawky, shrewd, acute, sharp, sharp as a tack, sharp as a needle, canny, astute, leery, knowing, up to snuff, too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff, tactful, diplomatic, politic, polite, cunningly, slyly, slily, on the sly, by a side wind, diamond cut diamond, a' bis ou a blanc, fin contre fin, something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Wisdom

N intelligence, wisdom, intelligence, capacity, comprehension, understanding, cuteness, sabe, savvy, intellect, nous, parts, sagacity, mother wit, wit, esprit, gumption, quick parts, grasp of intellect, acuteness, acumen, subtlety, penetration, perspicacy, perspicacity, discernment, due sense of, good judgment, discrimination, cunning, refinement, head, brains, headpiece, upper story, long head, eagle eye, eagle- glance, eye of a lynx, eye of a hawk, wisdom, sapience, sense, good sense, common sense, horse sense, plain sense, rationality, reason, reasonableness, judgment, solidity, depth, profundity, caliber, enlarged views, reach of thought, compass of thought, enlargement of mind, genius, inspiration, geist, fire of genius, heaven-born genius, soul, talent, prudence, vigilance, tact, foresight, sobriety, self-possession, aplomb, ballast, a bright thought, not a bad idea, Solomon-like wisdom, intelligent, quick of apprehension, keen, acute, alive, brainy, awake, bright, quick, sharp, quick witted, keen witted, clear witted, sharp-eyed, sharp sighted, sharp witted, wide- awake, canny, shrewd, astute, clear-headed, farsighted, discerning, perspicacious, penetrating, piercing, argute, quick-witted, nimble-witted, needle-witted, sharp as a needle, sharp as a tack, alive to, clever, arch, pas si bete, acute, wise, sage, sapient, sagacious, reasonable, rational, sound, in one's right mind, sensible, abnormis sapiens, judicious, strong- minded, unprejudiced, unbiased, unbigoted, unprepossessed, undazzled, unperplexed, unwarped judgment, impartial, equitable, fair, cool, cool-headed, long-headed, hardheaded, strong-headed, long- sighted, calculating, thoughtful, reflecting, solid, deep, profound, oracular, heaven-directed, heaven-born, prudent, sober, stand, solid, considerate, politic, wise in one's generation, watchful, provident, in advance of one' age, wise as a serpent, wise as Solomon, wise as Solon, wise, sensible, reasonable, judicious, well- thought-out, well-planned, well-judged, well-advised, prudent, politic, expedient, aut regem aut fatuum nasci oportet, but with the morning cool reflection came, flosculi sententiarum, les affaires font les hommes, mas vale saber que haber, mas vale ser necio que profiadol nemo solus sapit, nosce te, gnothi seauton, nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit, sapere aude, victrix fortunae sapientia.