canny \KAN-ee\, adjective:
1. Careful; cautious; prudent.
2. Astute; shrewd; knowing; sagacious.
3. Skilled; expert.
4. Frugal; thrifty.
5. Scot. A. Safe to deal with, invest in, or work at (usually used with a negative). B. Gentle; careful; steady. C. Snug; cozy; comfortable. D. Pleasing; attractive. E. Archaic. Having supernatural or occult powers.
adverb:
1. In a canny manner.
2. Scot. Carefully; cautiously.
But they're not going to catch us that easily. If they're canny, we can be canny too!
-- Hans Fallada, Every Man Dies Alone
Some of the little contrivances, which he thought so canny, left her doubtful.
-- D.H. Lawrence, The Rainbow
Canny is derived from the Middle English word ken meaning “knowledge or understanding.” It is related to the verb kennen meaning “to see, know, or make known.”
*Dictionary.com Word of the Day
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