† ginnousadj.
Obsolete. rare.
Crafty, guileful.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [adjective]
warec888
craftyOE
hinderyeapc1000
yepec1000
foxc1175
slya1200
hinderc1200
quaint?c1225
wrenchfulc1225
wiltfula1250
wilyc1330
subtle1340
cautelous138.
sleightful1380
subtile1387
enginousa1393
wilfula1400
wilyc1407
sleighty1412
serpentinec1422
ginnousa1425
wittya1425
semyc1440
artificial?a1475
sleight1495
slapea1500
shrewdc1525
craftly1526
foxy1528
gleering?1533
foxish1535
insidious1545
vafrous1548
wily beguile1550
wilely1556
fine1559
todly1571
practic1585
subdolous1588
captious1590
witryff1598
cautel1606
cunninga1616
versute1616
shiftfula1618
artificious1624
insidiary1625
canny1628
lapwing-like1638
pawky?a1640
tricksome1648
callid1656
versutious1660
artful1663
slim1674
dexterous1701
trickish1705
supple1710
slid1719
vulpinary1721
tricksy1766
trickful1775
sneck-drawing1786
tricky1786
louche1819
sneck-drawn1820
slyish1828
vulpine1830
kokum1839
spidery1843
dodgy1861
ladino1863
carney1881
slinky1951
a1425 Edward, Duke of York Master of Game (Bodl. 546) f. 36 Hit is a wonder gynnous beest, and conynge and fals more þan any oþer beest.
a1425 Edward, Duke of York Master of Game (Digby) vii. 42 Þei be so gynnose and so sotyle, þat neyther men nor houndes may putte ne remedy þerto.
Derivatives
ginnously adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [adverb]
foxlyc1175
craftilyc1225
craftlyc1225
slylyc1275
fellyc1300
quaintc1300
quaintlyc1325
sleightlyc1330
subtly1340
sly1370
espyinglya1382
wisely1390
wililya1400
wilyc1400
subtilelyc1405
ginnouslya1425
semylyc1440
serpentlya1450
small?c1450
cautelously1477
politicly1477
sleightfullyc1480
artificiously1536
insidiously1545
sleightily1549
artificially1566
cunningly1603
versutely1616
artfully1631
subdolously1638
serpentinely1656
slimlya1680
pawkily1714
politically1764
trickfullyc1790
trickishly1824
leerily1859
dodgily1868
trickily1895
foxily1933
a1425 Edward, Duke of York Master of Game (Bodl. 546) f. 35v Ȝif men se hem [sc. were wolfes] þei wole come vp on hym gynnously þat wiþ greet payne þe man may ascape.
a1425 Edward, Duke of York Master of Game (Digby) i. 12 She [sc. the hare] rennyth longe and gynnouslich [c1425 Vesp. gynnously; Fr. malicieusement].
a1425 Edward, Duke of York Master of Game (Digby) i. 12 Wheder she go sitte nere or fer fro hir pasture, sho goth to so gynnouslich [Fr. malicieusement] and wilyly, that ther is no man..that wolde say that any houndes myght vndo that she hath do.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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adj.a1425