canny
Careful, prudent, cautiousCareful, prudent, cautious.
» He was a skilled strategist and canny political operator.
Meaning
7 sensesCareful, prudent, cautious.
The politician gave a canny response to the reporter’s questions.
vorsichtig
осмотрительныйosmotritelʹnyj, осторо́жныйostoróžnyj
Knowing, shrewd, astute.
The canny lawyer knew just how to get what he wanted.
schlau, pfiffig, verschmitzt
Frugal, thrifty.
canny investments
(Northumbria, Scotland)Friendly, pleasant, fair, agreeable; (sometimes) funny.
She’s a canny lass hor like!
(Northumbria, Scotland)Gentle, quiet, steady.
a canny horse
Be canny with this letter.
(proscribed)Natural, normal.
(especially)Sounding as if it is coming through a tin can.
- showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
Examples
3 sentencesHe was a skilled strategist and canny political operator.
A canny one, I do contend, simply tips their glass on end.
deDer kluge Mensch, so glaubt es mir, der redet nicht und trinkt sein Bier. — Esperantostern
The canny one, or so I think, holds their tongue and sups their drink.
deDer kluge Mensch, so glaubt es mir, der redet nicht und trinkt sein Bier. — Esperantostern
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 2
Origin
Northern English dialect, from can (“to know”) ( + -y), from Middle English can, first andNorthern English dialect, from can (“to know”) ( + -y), from Middle English can, first and third person singular of cunnen, connen (“to be able, know how to”), from Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”). Compare Scots canny, English cunny, Old English cann (“knowledge, assertion”). More at can, cunning.
Back-formation from uncanny.
can (“more or less cylindrical metal container”) + -y
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
cannier, canniestSynonyms
24 synonymsWord family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form