sly

来自中古英语 sly,来自古诺斯语 sloegr,狡猾的，狡诈的，可能来自 Proto-Germanic*slogiz,活 泼的，敏捷的，狡猾的，来自 PIE*slak,击打，攻击，词源同 slay,sleight.

sly

sly: [12] Etymologically, sly means ‘able to hit’. It was borrowed from Old Norse slǣgr ‘clever, cunning’, which went back ultimately to the prehistoric Germanic base *slakh-, *slag-, *slōg- ‘hit’ (source also of English slaughter, slay, etc). The word’s original approbatory connotations of ‘cleverness’ or ‘skill’ survived into the 20th century in northern dialects, but elsewhere they were soon ousted by the notion of ‘underhandedness’. More neutral associations linger on in sleight ‘dexterity’ [13] (as in ‘sleight of hand’), which was acquired from an Old Norse derivative of slǣgr.
=> slaughter, slay, sleight

sly (adj.)

c. 1200, "skillful, clever, dexterous," from Old Norse sloegr "cunning, crafty, sly," from Proto-Germanic *slogis (cognates: Low German slu "cunning, sly," German schlau), probably from base *slak- "to strike, hit" (see slay (v.)), with an original notion of "able to hit." Compare German verschlagen "cunning, crafty, sly," schlagfertig "quick-witted," literally "strike-ready," from schlagen "to strike." A non-pejorative use of the word lingered in northern English dialect until 20c. On the sly "in secret" is recorded from 1812. Sly-boots "a seeming Silly, but subtil Fellow" is in the 1700 "Dictionary of the Canting Crew."

1. He's a sly old beggar if ever there was one.

他确确实实是个老奸巨猾的家伙。

2. She is devious and sly and manipulative.

她阴险狡诈，会玩人。

3. He gave me a sly, meaningful look.

他心照不宣地看了我一眼，意味深长。

4. She darted a sly sideways glance at Bramwell.

她狡黠地从眼角瞥了布拉姆韦尔一眼。

5. His lips were spread in a sly smile.

他心照不宣地咧嘴一笑。