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Canny vs Politic - What's the difference?

canny | politic |

As adjectives the difference between canny and politic

is that canny is careful, prudent, cautious while politic is political.

canny

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Careful, prudent, cautious.
    • (Ramsay)
  • Knowing, shrewd, astute.
    • (Sir Walter Scott)
  • Frugal, thrifty.
  • (Scotland, Northumbria) Pleasant, fair.
    • She's a canny lass hor like!
  • * 1783 , (Robert Burns), "Green Grow the Rashes O", Songs and Ballads
    • But gie me a cannie hour at e'en,
    My arms about my dearie O;
    An' warl'y cares, an' warl'y men,
    Mae a' gae tapsalteerie O!
  • (Northumbria) Very or much.
    • That's a canny big horse, man!

    Derived terms

    * cannily * canniness

    Related terms

    * uncanny (Note: In common modern usage, "canny" and "uncanny" are no longer antonyms.)

    References

    * * * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    politic

    English

    Alternative forms

    * politick (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (archaic) Of or relating to polity, or civil government; political.
    • the body politic
  • * (rfdate) Sir (Philip Sidney)
    • He with his people made all but one politic body.
  • (archaic) Relating to, or promoting, a policy, especially a national policy; well-devised; adapted to its end, whether right or wrong; said of things.
    • a politic treaty
  • * (rfdate) Shakespeare
    • enrich'd with politic grave counsel
  • (archaic) Sagacious in promoting a policy; ingenious in devising and advancing a system of management; devoted to a scheme or system rather than to a principle; hence, in a good sense, wise; prudent; sagacious
  • * (rfdate) Shakespeare
    • Politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy.
  • , prudent and expedient.
  • and diplomatic.
  • , crafty or cunning.

    • Antonyms

    * impolitic

    Related terms

    * police * policy * political * politician * politicize * politics * polity

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) A politician.
    • (Francis Bacon)
  • * Lowell
    • Swiftly the politic goes; is it dark? he borrows a lantern; / Slowly the statesman and sure, guiding his feet by the stars.
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