| 释义 |
▪ I. sly, a., adv., and n.|slaɪ|
Forms: α. 3 sleh, 4 sleȝ, sleeȝ, 4–5 sleȝe, slegh(e, 5 scleȝ, sclegh; 3–4 sleyh, 4 sleih; 3 sleiȝh, 3–4 sleiȝe, 4 sleeiȝ, 5 scleyȝ; 4 sleigh(e, sleygh(e. β. 3–5 sley, 4–5 sleye, 5 scley; 4, Sc. 5–6 sle, 5, Sc. 7–9 slee. γ. 4 slyh(e, sliȝ, 4– 5 sliȝe, slyȝ(e, 4–5 slygh, 4–6 slyghe, 4–7 sligh. δ. 4–5 sli, 5 sclie, 5–8 slie; 4–7 slye, 4– sly.
[ME. slēȝ, ad. ON. slœ́g-r (Icel. slægur, Norw. sløg; MSw. slögh, older Da. sløff) clever, cunning, originally ‘able to strike’, f. slóg- pret. stem of slá to strike. The later development into northern slee, midland and southern sligh, sly, is normal. The corresponding abstract noun is sleight n.1]
A. adj.
1. a. Of persons: Skilful, clever, dexterous, or expert in doing something; possessing practical skill or ability; skilled, knowing, wise. (Also occas. of animals.) Obs. exc. north. dial.
αc1200Ormin 13498 Her wass wiss Filippe sleh & ȝæp & haȝherr hunnte. c1275Five Joys Virgin 32 in O.E. Misc. 88 Þer þe schulen engles grete, for þu ert boþe hende and sleyh. c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 378 A carpenter..ich am, quoynte and sleiȝh. c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 7570 Als clerkes says, þat er wise and sleghe. c1350Lybeaus Disc. 351 As a noble knyght, As werrour queynte and sclegh. c1420Liber Cocorum (1862) 19 Be sleȝe and powre in water þenne.
βa1300Havelok 1084 Hwere mithe i finden ani so hey So Hauelok is, or so sley? 1375Barbour Bruce xvi. 335 He gert get vrichtis that ves sle. 14..in Vicary's Anat. (1888) App. ix. 228 Apone the nose..Schall thowe lete blode, if thowe be sle. 1807Stagg Misc. Poems (1808) 93 When Seymie..was as slee as onny Danniel. c1859T. Moore Song Sol. vii. 1 A slee warkman.
γ13..Sir Beues 579 Þe king him louede also is broþer, And þe maide, þat was so sliȝ. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 10 He is makir of my kynde, as a sliȝ werkman. a1425tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 2 God..hath hid many thingis fro wise men and sliȝe whiche he vouchesaf aftirward for to shewe to symple men. c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 5333 Generides was hardie and sligh, And saw hem flee, and drogh him nigh.
δa1300Cursor M. 8695 Þe king, þat was sa sli a clerc. c1320Cast. Love (1849) 78 So slye and crafty they shull byn alle, That they shull do all thyng that in here hert doth falle. 1495Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. xviii. liii. 812 Amptes ben full lytyll and ben neuerthelesse more slye [Bodl. MS. sliȝe] and besy than many grete beestys. 1600Fairfax Tasso x. xli. 187 You..(whom grauer age And long experience hath made wise and slie). 1865Danby Gloss. s.v., He war a desput sly chap wha fost thow't o' thae sun-pict'rs.
†b. Const. in or of (also at, on) something. Obs.
(a)a1300Cursor M. 27280 In spiring loke þe preist be sli, Noght ouerbald bot als on drei. c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 2662 Þarfor þou man in þi werk be slyghe. c1400Rowland & O. 690 Þe gentill Grauntere In Batayle þat was so sleghe. 1513Douglas æneid v. v. 76 Of Creit..born was sche, And in the craft of Mynerve wondir sle.
(b)a1300Cursor M. 7251 For he was sle on [Gött. sly of] harpingleu. 1375Barbour Bruce xvii. 938 He send for masonis..That sleast wes of that misteir. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxiii. 163 This sleuthe was sleyh of werre and a slynge made. c1470Henry Wallace i. 375 Off that labour as than he was nocht sle. 1500–20Dunbar Poems l. 30 Gy of Gysburne, na Allan Bell,..At schot war nevir so slie.
†c. With infinitive. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 27290 Þat þe preist be slei To gar þe man him-seluen wrei. c1400Laud Troy Bk. 11112 He..asked hem..‘Whether thei were alle so sly To saue Ector with-oute poudre’. c1450Bk. Curtasye 300 in Babees Bk., With woso men..The falle to go, loke þou be slegh To aske his nome. 1513Douglas æneid vi. xv. 2 The peple..Bene..moir sle To forge and carve lyflyk staturis of bras.
†2. Marked or characterized by skill or dexterity; showing skilfulness or ingenuity; cleverly or finely made. Obs.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7187 Louerd he sede þat ech þing madest quointe & sley. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 2258 Atte laste he wolde fleye, Feþer-hames he made hym sleye. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. i. (Bodl. MS.), Here [i.e. ants, bees, etc.] workes beþ sliȝe and sotel. c1440Pallad. on Husb. v. 154 Wher the swarmes dwelle, is craft tespie... Se heer the craft, and truly hit is sligh. c1470Gol. & Gaw. 883 Thai hynt of his harnese, to helyn his wound; Lechis war noght to lait, with sawis sa sle. 1513Douglas æneid i. Prol. 108 Reid oftair than anis, Weill at ane blenk slee poetry nocht tane ys. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. ix. 46 Lids deuiz'd of substance sly, That readily they shut and open might. 1721Ramsay Elegy on Patie Birnie i, In sonnet slee the man I sing.
3. a. Of persons: Adept or skilful in artifice or craft; using cunning or insidious means or methods; deceitful, guileful, wily, underhand.
α, βa1200St. Marher. 12 Þu hauest grimliche ibroht mi broðer to grunde, þen slehest deouel of helle. c1275Lay. 14366 Þe worse was þare wel neh, Þat to soche game his wel sleh. c1375Cursor M. 731 (Fairf.), Þat wyly deuel was ful sley. a1450Myrc 1401 Wayte þat þow be slegh & fel. c1470Henry Wallace v. 740 He was full sle, and ek had mony cast. 1535W. Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 281 Ane subtill man and of ingyne richt hie, In all his tyme he wes baith fals and slie. 1724Ramsay Tea-Table Misc. (1733) I. 85 Little did her auld minny ken What thir slee twa togither were say'n. 1825Brockett N.C. Gloss., Slee, sly, cunning.
γ, δc1386Chaucer Friar's T. 24 He hadde a Somonour redy to his hond, A slyer boye was noon in Engelond. 1390Gower Conf. II. 235, Thei ben slyhe in such a wise That thei be sleihte..Of Fals witnesse bringen inne [etc.]. c1420Chron. Vilod. 381 Þus Danes weren fulle fals and slyȝe. c1450Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 230 The traytours wene they bene so sly, That no mane can hem aspy. 1530Palsgr. 324/1 Slye, crafty, subtyll, cautelleux. Ibid., Slye, wylye, fyn. 1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love Ep. Ded. *ij b, The subtle assaultes of so slye and cruell enemyes. 1642Rogers Naaman 16 A master having a slie servant, oft drunken and carelesse. 1676Dryden Aurengz. i. i, Some slie Court-Devil has seduc'd your Mind. 1775Sheridan Rivals ii. i, He was, indeed, a little inquisitive; but I was sly, sir; devilish sly! 1865Sat. Rev. 11 Feb. 162/2 He is slyer, less easy to fix with the responsibility of his actions. 1874Motley John of Barneveld I. ii. 131 Smoothest and sliest of diplomatists.
b. Of animals, etc. to run sly (see quot. 1845).
1640Sir W. Mure Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 6 This slie fox, hunted from hole to hole. 1667Milton P.L. ix. 613 So talk'd the spirited sly Snake. 1756tr. Keysler's Trav. (1760) I. 119 Whatever might be his fidelity to the duke, he [a wolf] was very sly and malicious to others. 1776–[see sly-goose]. 1807Crabbe Par. Reg. ii. 29 A sly old fish, too cunning for the hook. 1845Youatt Dog ii. 38 The Scotch greyhound.., instead of depending on his speed alone,..has recourse to occasional artifices in order to intercept the hare, in sporting language, he runs sly.
c. Of looks: Expressive of slyness.
1821Scott Kenilw. xxxii, Varney has a sly countenance, and a smooth tongue. 1848Dickens Dombey xiv, The grim sly faces in the squares and diamonds of the floor⁓cloth..peeped out at him with less wicked eyes.
4. a. Of actions, things, etc.: Marked or characterized by, displaying or indicating, artifice, craft or cunning; of an insidious or wily nature.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 321 Freris bildyng..is comuneliche makid bi slyh robbyngis of þe fend. c1386Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 395 A colfox, ful of sly Iniquitee. c1440J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. iv. 808 Wherfore I thenke a slyere weye to renne, That hir purpos shal not thus encrees. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI, 153 By this pratye cautele and slyghe imposture, was the towne..taken. a1586Sidney Ps. xxxv. iii, Let their sly witts unwares destruction gett. 1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 98 Still disappointing all the slie designes of the Popes. 1671Milton P.R. ii. 115 Satan with slye preface to return Had left him. a1755Watts (J.), Envy..works in a sly and imperceptible manner. 1781Cowper Conversation 744 A mere mask of sly grimace. 1833H. Martineau Berkeley i. iv. 78 The buyers and sellers will make any kind of sly and circuitous bargain. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvii. IV. 69 The Celt found many opportunities of taking a sly revenge.
†b. Of words, etc.: Full of duplicity or wile; subtle; disingenuous. Obs.
1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 371 Wily and sly silogismes. c1400Cursor M. 27998 (Cotton Galba), If þou euer..wowid hir with wordes sleghe. c1440Jacob's Well 150 Thruȝ slye woordys & fayre to make a man wene þat he hath vertu.. whan he hath non. 1567Gude & Godlie Ball. 150 Tak gude keip To thame that cumis to the..With subtell Sermonis slie. 1675Baxter Cath. Theol. ii. v. 88 A sly equivocation, turning the question from the potentia operata to the potentia operans. 1829Lytton Devereux ii. v, He knows not what sly conclusions may be drawn from his premises.
5. a. Marked or characterized by secrecy or stealth; working, moving, etc., in a stealthy or underhand manner. Also of places: Quiet, secret.
c1440Promp. Parv. 472/1 Stalkynge, or soft and sly goynge, serptura. 1593Shakes. Rich. II, i. iii. 150 The slye slow houres shall not determinate The datelesse limit of thy deere exile. 1608Topsell Serpents (1658) 699 Slie poyson takes the marrow, and eating fire Burning the bowels warm till all consumed. 1641Milton Ch. Govt. ii. iii, That severe assise of survaying and controuling the privatest and sliest manners of all men. a1764Lloyd Poet. Professors Poet. Wks. 1774 I. 35 At some sly corner in the Strand. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. vi, I therefore approached my chair by sly degrees to the fire. 1807J. Barlow Columb. vii. 184 With..the sly watchword whisper'd from the tongue. 1821Scott Kenilw. xix, Thou canst give a friend a sly place at a mask or a revel now. 1895A. Forbes Mem. War & Peace 102 One of a ‘sly patrol’ which I was accompanying one July morning.
b. slang. Illicit, illegal; esp. Austral. in sly grog (seller, etc.).
1829H. Widowson Present State of Van Diemen's Land iv. 24 To these [inns] also, I believe, I may add a like number of ‘sly grog shops’, as they are called. 1840T. P. MacQueen Australia 23 Increased powers ought to be given the magistrates and police to prevent the nuisances usually termed sly grog shops. 1844Port Phillip Patriot 11 July 2/5 An information..against a party for sly grog selling. 1851Mayhew Lond. Lab. I. 294/2 A sly trade's always the best for paying, and for selling too. 1858McCombie Hist. Victoria x. 127 Convicts, who erected huts, and became ‘sly grog’ sellers. 1875Melbourne Spectator 21 Aug. 190/1 Several vendors of sly-grog were fined. 1936F. Clune Roaming round Darling xxiv. 265 What a promotion—a sly-grogger to king of the Toko blacks! 1941Baker Dict. Austral. Slang 68 Sly-groggery, a sly-grog shop. 1959M. Scott White Elephant xiii. 137 It's a sly-grogging hole and..I didn't go there. 1969W. Dick Naked Prodigal 64 We were on our way to the sly grog joint to buy a dozen bottles.
6. Playfully mischievous or malicious; roguish; waggish.
1764Gray J. T. 1 When sly Jemmy Twitcher had smugg'd up his face. 1785Burns 1st Ep. to J. Lapraik xiv, A spunk o' Allan's glee, Or Ferguson's, the bauld an' slee. 1800E. Hervey Mourtray Fam. I. 156 Looking, with a sly wink, at Emma. 1805N. Nicholls Corr. w. Gray (1843) 45 The sly, delicate, and exquisitely elegant pleasantry of La Fontaine. 1833Tennyson Miller's Dau. 133 And so it was—half-sly, half-shy, You would, and would not, little one.
7. In special collocations, as sly bread, -bream, -cake, silurus (see quots.); also † sly-cap, a sly or cunning person; slypuss [puss 3 b], a cunning or deceitful girl, a minx; so slypussness.
1681Otway Soldier's Fort. iv. i, Ah, villain! Ah, sly⁓cap! have I caught you? 1836Yarrell Brit. Fishes I. 403 The Sly Silurus, Silurus glanis. 1854Owen in Orr's Circ. Sci., Org. Nat. I. 181 The sly-bream (Sparus insidiator of Pallas). 1855[Robinson] Whitby Gloss., Sly-cakes, tea-cakes plain and uninviting on the outside, but when eaten are found full of currants and richness within. They are also called Cheats. a1887Cassell's Dict. Cookery s.v., Sly Bread, or Bread Fritters (an economical..sweet dish). 1908W. De Morgan Somehow Good ix. 79 Laetitia, whose speech..appeared to impute insight, or penetration, or sly-pussness..to her young friend. 1942[see nitwitted a.].
8. Comb., as sly-eyed, sly-looking, sly-tongued.
1967G. Kelly in Coast to Coast 1965–6 97 He hated blonde women—sly-eyed, breasts..undulating above her..tunic.
1795P. Freneau Poems (1902) II. 341 A youngster was order'd to hold himself ready, A sly looking lad that was 'prentice to Snip. 1945‘G. Orwell’ Animal Farm vi. 47 He was a sly-looking little man.
c1730Ramsay Fables, Fox & Rat 30 Dragon, lord chief treasurer, must pay To sly-tongu'd Fleechy.
B. adv. In a sly, skilful, or cunning manner; slyly. Also Comb., as sly-couched, sly dealing. Now rare or poet.
a1300Cursor M. 8420 Þow do him for to foster slei, To be lered him-self to lede. 1370–80Visions St. Paul 125 in O.E. Misc. 226 Þe Aungel seide to him ful sleih, ‘Þei vsuden Ocur and vsuri’. a1400Rom. Rose 7449 For semblant was so slye wrought, That falsnesse he ne espyed nought. 1628Feltham Resolves i. xxxv, Satan began first hesitations, and his sly-couch'd Oratory. a1802Katharine Jaffray vii. in Child Ball. IV. 220/2 Up then spak Lord Faughanwood, An he spak very slee. 1931H. Belloc Sonnets & Verse 80 Wine, bright avenger of sly-dealing wrong.
C. absol. or as n.
1. pl. Skilful or crafty persons. † Also sing., one who is skilled or cunning.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7405 A monek he sende him in message, & dude as þe sley. a1320Sir Tristr. 271 And euer he dede as þe sleiȝe. Ibid. 379 O lond þai sett þat sleiȝe. c1400Pride of Life in Non-Cycle Myst. Plays 94 Þou spekis noȝt as þe sleye. c1470Henry Wallace x. 382 On the fyllat full sternly straik that sle.
2. on (upon, under, or by) the sly, in a secret, clandestine, or covert manner; without publicity or openness; secretly, covertly, stealthily.
(a)1812J. H. Vaux Flash Dict. s.v., Any business transacted, or intimation given, privately, or under the rose, is said to be done upon the sly. 1866Reade G. Gaunt (ed. 2) III. 102 A certain farmer's man, who wired hares upon the sly.
(b)1818Keats Let. 18 Dec. (1958) II. 13 It might have been a good joke to pour on the sly bottle after bottle into a washing tub and roar for more. 1825Sporting Mag. XVI. 330 We should find them ever on the ‘sly’, as it is called. 1851Mayhew Lond. Lab. I. 387/1 They sold it..to ladies that liked a drop on the sly. 1888Bryce Amer. Commw. III. xc. 234 Prominent politicians came to seek favours from him on the sly.
(c)1840Longfellow Span. Student iii. v, As soon as you see the planets are out, in with you, and be busy with the ten commandments, under the sly.
(d)1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede vii, Mrs. Poyser..continually gazed at Hetty's charms by the sly. 1861Rom. Dull Life xxx. 218 It seems to me disgraceful to do things by the sly, that you dare not have known.
▪ II. sly, v. Sc. and U.S.|slaɪ|
[f. sly a.]
intr. To move, go, etc., in a sly or stealthy manner; to slip unobserved; to slink.
For other Scottish dial. senses, see Jamieson's Dict. s.v. Slee and Sly.
1825Jamieson Suppl., To Sly, to go or approach silently and slily. 1845S. Judd Margaret i. xi. (1871) 64 She would creep from her room and sly into the street. 1888The Advance (Chicago) 6 Dec., Nobody noticed Caddie slying along to the desk where the teacher had laid the switch.
▪ III. † sly
var. of sli slike a., such. Obs.
c1375Cursor M. 12052 (Fairf.), Quy dos þou, sone, on sly manere.
▪ IV. sly
obs. form of slay v. |