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Connive vs Cunning - What's the difference?

connive | cunning |

As a verb connive

is to cooperate with others secretly in order to commit a crime; to collude.

As an adjective cunning is

sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.

As a noun cunning is

(obsolete) knowledge; learning; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge).

connive

English

Verb

(conniv)
  • to cooperate with others secretly in order to commit a crime; to collude
  • to plot or scheme
  • to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame; to ignore a fault deliberately
  • * Jeremy Taylor
    • to connive at what it does not approve
  • * Burke
    • In many of these, the directors were heartily concurring; in most of them, they were encouraging, and sometimes commanding; in all they were conniving .
  • * Macaulay
    • The government thought it expedient, occasionally, to connive at the violation of this rule.
  • (archaic) To open and close the eyes rapidly; to wink.
  • * Spectator
    • The artist is to teach them how to nod judiciously, and to connive with either eye.
  • to be a wench

    • Related terms

    * connivance * connivent * conniver * connivingly * knive

    References

    English control verbs ----

    cunning

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) cunning, kunning, konnyng, alteration of earlier (etyl) cunninde, kunnende, cunnand, from (etyl) cunnende, present participle of . More at (l), (l).

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Sly; crafty; clever in surreptitious behaviour.
  • * South
    • They are resolved to be cunning ; let others run the hazard of being sincere.
  • (obsolete) Skillful, artful.
  • * Bible, Genesis xxv. 27
    • Esau was a cunning hunter.
  • * Bible, Exodus xxxviii. 23
    • a cunning workman
  • * Shakespeare
    • ''Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white / Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on.
  • (obsolete) Wrought with, or exibiting, skill or ingenuity; ingenious.
    • cunning work
  • * Spenser
    • Over them Arachne high did lift / Her cunning web.
  • (US, colloquial, rare) Cute, appealing.
    • a cunning little boy
    (Bartlett)
    Synonyms
    * See also

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) cunning, kunnyng, partially from (etyl) *.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Knowledge; learning; special knowledge (sometimes implying occult or magical knowledge).
  • Practical knowledge or experience; aptitude in performance; skill, proficiency; dexterity.
  • * 2005 , .
    • indeed at this very moment he's slipped away with the utmost cunning into a form that's most perplexing to investigate.
  • Practical skill employed in a secret or crafty manner; craft; artifice; skillful deceit.
  • The disposition to employ one's skill in an artful manner; craftiness; guile; artifice; skill of being cunning, sly, conniving, or deceitful.
  • The natural wit or instincts of an animal.
    • the cunning of the fox or hare
    Synonyms
    * (l) * (l) * (l)