Connive Definition
kə-nīv
connived, connives, conniving
verb
connived, connives, conniving
To cooperate secretly (with someone), esp. in wrongdoing; conspire.
Webster's New World
To pretend not to see or look (at something wrong or evil), thus giving tacit consent or cooperation; feign ignorance of another's wrongdoing.
Webster's New World
To scheme in an underhanded way.
Webster's New World
(archaic) To open and close the eyes rapidly; to wink.
Wiktionary
Antonyms:
- have no part; expose
- be innocent of
Origin of Connive
-
Circa 1600, from French conniver, from Latin connīveō (“wink”), or directly from Latin, from com- (“together”) + base akin to nictō (“I wink”), from Proto-Indo-European *knei-gwh- (“to bend”). See also English nictate (“to wink”), from same Latin base.
From Wiktionary
Sense comes from extension of “to wink” into “to wink (at a crime), to be privy”.
From Wiktionary
Latin cōnīvēre, connīvēre to close the eyes
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Connive Is Also Mentioned In
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