clever Hear it!

clever Definition

clever (klev′ər)

adjective

  1. skillful in doing something; adroit; dexterous
  2. quick in thinking or learning; intelligent, ingenious, quick-witted, witty, facile, etc.
  3. showing ingenuity or quick, sometimes superficial, intelligence a clever book
  4. Dialectal
    1. amiable; good-natured
    2. handsome, convenient, nice, etc.

Etymology: ME cliver, prob. < EFris klüfer or Norw dial klöver, ready, skillful; ? infl. by OE clifer, claw, hand, in the sense, “adroit with the hand”: for the latter sense development, see adroit, dexterous

clever Related Forms

clev′·erly adverb clev′·er·ness noun

clever Synonyms

clever

modif.

  1. Mentally quick

    smart, bright, intelligent, quick, shrewd, ingenious, cunning, sharp, keen, astute, witty, quick-witted, sharp-witted, quick-thinking, amusing, scintillating, inventive, resourceful, original, talented, gifted, apt, facile, glib, precocious, brainy*, sharp as a tack*, quick on the uptake*, quick on the trigger*; see also intelligent 1, sly 1.

  2. Apt, particularly with one's hands

    skillful, expert, adroit; see able 1, 2.

clever, implies quick-wittedness or adroitness, as in contriving the solution to a problem a clever reply; cunning suggests great skill or ingenuity, but often implies deception or craftiness cunning as a fox; ingenious stresses inventive skill, as in origination or fabrication an ingenious device; shrewd suggests cleverness and acumen accompanied by practicality a shrewd judge of character, sometimes verging on craftiness a shrewd politician See also syn. study at intelligent.

Browse dictionary entries near clever

  1. ‹ Cleveland Heights
  2. ‹ Cleveland
  3. ‹ cleveite
  4. ‹ Clermont-Ferrand
  5. ‹ clerkly
  6. ‹ clerk
  7. ‹ clerisy
  8. ‹ clerihew
  9. ‹ clericalism
  10. ‹ clerical collar
  1. cleverly ›
  2. cleverness ›
  3. clevis ›
  4. clew ›
  5. clew lines ›
  6. cliché ›
  7. clichéd ›
  8. Clichy ›
  9. click ›
  10. click beetle ›