sly

• adj. 狡猾的；淘气的；诡密的
• n. (Sly)人名；(英)斯莱

来自中古英语 sly,来自古诺斯语 sloegr,狡猾的，狡诈的，可能来自 Proto-Germanic*slogiz,活 泼的，敏捷的，狡猾的，来自 PIE*slak,击打，攻击，词源同 slay,sleight.

1. marked by skill in deception;

"cunning men often pass for wise"

"deep political machinations"

"a foxy scheme"

"a slick evasive answer"

"sly as a fox"

"tricky Dik"

"a wily old attorney"

sly

sly: [12] Etymologically, sly means ‘able to hit’. It was borrowed from Old Norse slǣgr ‘clever, cunning’, which went back ultimately to the prehistoric Germanic base *slakh-, *slag-, *slōg- ‘hit’ (source also of English slaughter, slay, etc). The word’s original approbatory connotations of ‘cleverness’ or ‘skill’ survived into the 20th century in northern dialects, but elsewhere they were soon ousted by the notion of ‘underhandedness’. More neutral associations linger on in sleight ‘dexterity’ [13] (as in ‘sleight of hand’), which was acquired from an Old Norse derivative of slǣgr.
=> slaughter, slay, sleight

sly (adj.)

c. 1200, "skillful, clever, dexterous," from Old Norse sloegr "cunning, crafty, sly," from Proto-Germanic *slogis (cognates: Low German slu "cunning, sly," German schlau), probably from base *slak- "to strike, hit" (see slay (v.)), with an original notion of "able to hit." Compare German verschlagen "cunning, crafty, sly," schlagfertig "quick-witted," literally "strike-ready," from schlagen "to strike." A non-pejorative use of the word lingered in northern English dialect until 20c. On the sly "in secret" is recorded from 1812. Sly-boots "a seeming Silly, but subtil Fellow" is in the 1700 "Dictionary of the Canting Crew."

cunning, sly

这两个形容词均含"狡猾的"之意。

cunning： 指凭诡计达到狡诈的目的。

sly： 指竭力掩饰其意图，靠蒙混或表里不一等隐蔽手法达到个人目的。

In Julius Caesar, for example, Cassius's sly provocation of Brutus to take up arms against Caesar was the basis for a discussion of methods of team building and grass roots organising.

2015年高考英语上海卷 阅读理解 阅读C 原文

a sly political move

诡诈的政治手段

牛津词典

(humorous)You sly old devil! How long have you known?

你这个老滑头！你知道有多久了？

牛津词典

a sly smile/grin/look/glance, etc.

诡秘的微笑、咧嘴一笑、神色、一瞥等

牛津词典

He glanced at her slyly.

他诡秘地朝她瞥了一眼。

牛津词典

He has to visit them on the sly.

他只得偷偷地去看望他们。

牛津词典

His lips were spread in a sly smile...

他心照不宣地咧嘴一笑。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

He gave me a sly, meaningful look.

他心照不宣地看了我一眼，意味深长。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

She is devious and sly and manipulative...

她阴险狡诈，会玩人。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

He's a sly old beggar if ever there was one.

他确确实实是个老奸巨猾的家伙。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

Was she meeting some guy on the sly?

她是不是偷偷地在见什么人？

柯林斯高阶英语词典

Some officials claimed to unhook connections with the companies but still maintained close ties on the sly.

某些干部口称已跟公司脱钩,可暗中仍然保持联系.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

He cast a sly glance at his bridge partner.

他向桥牌搭档使了个会意的眼色.

《简明英汉词典》

Each had a different way, humorous or philosophic , contemptuous, sour, or sly, of showing this resentment.

各人有各人不同的表示憎恨的方式, 诙谐的,明达的, 傲慢的, 酸溜溜的或者调皮的.

辞典例句

Don't trust him, he is a sly old fox.

不要相信他, 他是一个狡猾的家伙.

期刊摘选

She's a sly puss.

她是个刁滑的姑娘.

期刊摘选

He is a sly and treacherous guy , so he makes few friends.

他为人狡谲, 所以没什么朋友.

期刊摘选

One day Sly Boy made a mistake.

有一天,鬼小子犯了一个错误.

期刊摘选

The difference between Sly Stallone and me is that I am me and he is him.

史泰龙和我的分别在于他是他,我是我.

期刊摘选

However sly a fox may be , it is no match for a good hunter.

狐狸再狡猾也架不住好猎手.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

That sly girl managed to get her friend's job.

那个诡诈的女孩设法取得她朋友的工作.

辞典例句

His sly ways inspire me with distrust.

他狡诈的作风激起了我的不信任.

期刊摘选

I've tipped you a wink or signalled to you on the sly many times, but before you took the hint others had already noticed.

我多次向你使眼色,又给你递暗号,别人都明白了, 你却没有反应.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

Brooks is a sly dog.

布鲁克斯是一个狡猾的人.

《简明英汉词典》

The sly fox nimbly eluded the dogs.

那只狡猾的狐狸灵活地躲避开那群狗.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

He is a sly dog.

他是一个狡猾的家伙.

《现代英汉综合大词典》

She picked up the new nylon umbrella on the sly.

她顺手牵羊拿走了那顶新尼龙伞.

《现代汉英综合大词典》

People consider foxes as clever but sly animals.

人们认为狐狸是既聪明又狡猾的动物.

《简明英汉词典》

Some boys smoke on the sly.

有些男孩子暗地吸烟.

《现代汉英综合大词典》