Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense connives, present participle conniving, past tense, past participle connived
1. verb
If one person conniveswith another to do something, they secretly try to achieve something which will benefit both of them.
[disapproval]
He accused ministers of conniving with foreign companies to tear up employment rights. [VERB + with]
Senior politicians connived to ensure that he was not released.
...local authorities suspected of conniving with the Mafia. [VERB + with]
Synonyms: conspire, scheme, plot, intrigue More Synonyms of connive
2. verb
If you say that someone connivesat something or connivesin something, you are critical of them because they allow or help it to happen even though they know that it is wrong and that they ought to prevent it.
[disapproval]
connive in British English
(kəˈnaɪv)
verb(intransitive)
1.
to plot together, esp secretly; conspire
2. (foll by at) law
to give assent or encouragement (to the commission of a wrong)
Derived forms
conniver (conˈniver)
noun
connivingly (conˈnivingly)
adverb
Word origin
C17: from French conniver, from Latin connīvēre to blink, hence, leave uncensured; -nīvēre related to nictāre to wink
connive in American English
(kəˈnaɪv)
verb intransitiveWord forms: conˈnived or conˈniving
1.
to pretend not to see or look (at something wrong or evil), thus giving tacit consent or cooperation; feign ignorance of another's wrongdoing
2.
a.
to cooperate secretly (with someone), esp. in wrongdoing; conspire
b.
to scheme in an underhanded way
Derived forms
conniver (conˈniver)
noun
Word origin
< L conivere, to wink, connive < com-, intens. + base akin to nictare, to wink < IE base *knei-gwh-, to bend > Goth hneiwan, to bend, bow, OE hnigian, to bow (the head)
Examples of 'connive' in a sentence
connive
It can turn a grown man into a conniving, dishonest person.
Christianity Today (2000)
(verb)
Definition
to conspire
Senior politicians connived to ensure that he was not released.
Synonyms
conspire
I had a persecution complex and thought people were conspiring against me.
scheme
Everyone's always scheming and plotting.
plot
They are awaiting trial for plotting against the state.
intrigue
The main characters spend their time intriguing for control.
collude
Several local officials are in jail on charges of colluding with criminal gangs.
cabal
phrasal verb
See connive at something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of collude
Definition
to cooperate secretly or dishonestly with someone
Several local officials are in jail on charges of colluding with criminal gangs.
Synonyms
conspire,
scheme,
plot,
intrigue,
collaborate,
contrive,
abet,
connive,
be in cahoots (informal),
machinate,
complot
in the sense of intrigue
Definition
to plot secretly or dishonestly
The main characters spend their time intriguing for control.
Synonyms
plot,
scheme,
manoeuvre,
conspire,
connive,
machinate
in the sense of plot
Definition
to plan secretly
They are awaiting trial for plotting against the state.