sly

/slaɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /slaɪ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈslī/ (ame, mw)

sly — adjective

  • slypositive
  • sliercomparative
  • sliestsuperlative

1. using cleverness in a dishonest way to trick people or hide what you really want

1.形容詞B2
釋義

using cleverness in a dishonest way to trick people or hide what you really want — for example, a sly person who pretends to be friendly while secretly looking for a way to benefit from you.

例句

A sly fox in the old story tricked the crow into dropping the cheese.

sly + animal noun — typical comparison for cunning behaviour

Rafael gave a sly grin when his last-minute plan to get tickets finally worked.

sly grin — common collocation with facial expression

同義詞
  • cunning

    more intellectual — implies sharp, calculated cleverness in planning

  • crafty

    emphasises skill in devising schemes or avoiding detection

  • sneaky

    more informal — stresses secrecy and underhand behaviour

  • wily

    suggests long-term strategic trickery, often through experience

反義詞

文法句型

sly + noun (look, smile, trick, move)

be + sly

用法筆記

Often describes mannerisms or tactics that appear innocent on the surface but serve a hidden self-serving purpose. Frequently paired with nouns for facial expressions (grin, smile, look) and for actions (trick, move, plan).

常見錯誤

❌She gave a sly smile at the cute puppy.
✅She gave a warm smile at the cute puppy.
💡'sly' has a negative or calculating tone; it is not a synonym for 'playful' or 'gentle'.
❌He is very sly of languages.
✅He is very skilled at languages.
💡'sly' describes character or behaviour, not ability.

2. having or showing a look that suggests you know something amusing or secret that

2.形容詞B2
釋義

having or showing a look that suggests you know something amusing or secret that others do not yet know — for example, a sly grin that says 'I know what is really going on' without saying it out loud.

例句

Tariro gave her little brother a sly smile when their mother mentioned the hidden gift.

sly smile — shared secret between two people

The old man's sly wink told the children that a surprise was waiting for them.

同義詞
  • knowing

    neutral — suggests awareness without the roguish tone

  • mischievous

    playful — emphasises harmless fun rather than secret knowledge

  • roguish

    literary — carries a charming, cheeky quality

反義詞
  • innocent

    implies no hidden knowledge or playful intent

  • blank

    suggests no particular expression at all

文法句型

sly + expression noun (smile, grin, wink, glance, look)

用法筆記

Unlike Sense 1 (CRAFTY DECEPTION), this sense carries a light, mischievous tone rather than a negative one. It is rarely used with action nouns (trick, move, plan) — those belong to Sense 1. Distinguish by context: if the person is sharing a private joke or reacting to an amusing situation, the intended sense is usually this one.

常見錯誤

❌He gave a sly smile to trick the teacher into giving him a better grade.
✅Choose sense 1 wording: 'He used a sly trick to get a better grade.
💡When the goal is to deceive for personal gain, use Sense 1. Sense 2 is for amused, knowing looks without harmful intent.

sly — noun