sly
gb/slˈaɪ/ us/slˈaɪ/
B2
Angličtina
~ 7800
ravasz, agyafúrt, sunyi, cinkos, sokatmondó, titokban, sutyiban
B2
1
Vzorec užití:
a sly [person/character/move/trick]
The salesman gave me a sly answer that dodged my question about the extra fees.
Az értékesítő ravasz választ adott, amellyel kitért a plusz költségekre vonatkozó kérdésem elől.
Children can be surprisingly sly when they want to stay up past their bedtime.
A gyerekek meglepően ravaszak tudnak lenni, ha a lefekvési idejük után is fenn akarnak maradni.
She made a sly move at work, quietly taking on the project that would impress the boss.
You have to be a bit sly to get a good deal at that market.
In the film, he plays a sly lawyer who always finds a loophole.
Učební příklady
The boy was sly and hid his test paper from his parents.
A fiú ravasz volt, és elrejtette a dolgozatát a szülei elől.
My cat is sly and waits quietly before jumping on the bird.
A macskám ravasz: csendben kivár, mielőtt ráugrik a madárra.
He made a sly plan to win the game.
She is friendly, but also a little sly.
The sly thief watched the house for days.
Častá chyba:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sly' with 'shy' because they look similar. 'Sly' means clever and secret in a tricky way, while 'shy' means quiet or nervous with people. Learners also sometimes use 'sly' as an adverb (*he smiled sly*). The correct adverb is 'slyly' (*he smiled slyly*).
Význam
clever and secret in a tricky way
Kolokace
a sly person
|a sly fox
|a sly move
|a sly trick
|a sly plan
|a sly old man
Synonyma
cunning (Often suggests clever but sometimes dishonest planning, slightly more formal and neutral than 'sly'.)
|
sneaky (More informal and negative, suggesting bad or unfair secret behavior more strongly than 'sly'.)
Antonyma
honest (Describes someone who is open and does not try to trick or hide things from others.)
|
naive (Describes someone who is too trusting and not at all tricky or calculating.)
Témata
personality
|behavior
|relationships
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definice
Clever in a quiet, secret way that may trick other people.
Clever at hiding your real intentions and using secret or indirect methods, often to trick or outsmart people.
C1
2
cinkos
B2
sokatmondó
B2
Vzorec užití:
a sly [smile/look/grin/wink/remark]
He gave me a sly smile that told me he knew exactly what was going on.
Cinkos mosollyal nézett rám, amiből tudtam, hogy pontosan tudja, mi folyik.
She shot him a sly look across the table when their friend mentioned the surprise party.
Cinkos pillantást vetett rá az asztal túloldaláról, amikor a barátjuk megemlítette a meglepetésbulit.
The comedian ended with a sly remark that only the locals understood.
With a sly wink, she slipped the key into my hand.
There was a sly grin on his face, as if he knew a joke the rest of us had missed.
Učební příklady
The teacher gave him a sly smile when he got the right answer.
A tanár sokatmondóan mosolygott rá, amikor jó választ adott.
She looked at me with a sly look, and I knew she had a plan.
Sokatmondó pillantással nézett rám, és tudtam, hogy van egy terve.
He made a sly joke about his boss, but only I heard it.
Tom gave me a sly wink when our parents were not watching.
Her sly grin showed that she was hiding good news.
Častá chyba:
Learners sometimes think 'sly smile' simply means 'big smile' or 'happy smile'. It specifically suggests that the person knows a secret or finds something quietly funny. Avoid using this meaning with things like 'sly weather' or 'sly color'; it is normally used for faces, eyes, or comments.
Význam
showing secret knowledge or amusement
Kolokace
a sly smile
|a sly grin
|a sly look
|a sly wink
|a sly remark
|a sly joke
Synonyma
knowing (Often used specifically for looks or smiles that show private knowledge, slightly less playful than 'sly'.)
|
mischievous (Stresses playful, naughty amusement more than secret knowledge.)
Antonyma
open (Describes an expression that clearly shows feelings, without hiding anything.)
|
blank (Describes a face or look that shows no feelings or secret meaning at all.)
Témata
communication
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definice
Describing a smile, look, or words that quietly show you know a secret or find something funny, without saying it directly.
Describing a smile, look, remark, or similar that quietly shows you know something secret or are amused in a hidden way.
C1
INFORMAL
3
Vzorec užití:
a sly [drink/visit/cigarette]
He stepped outside for a sly cigarette during the meeting break.
A megbeszélés szünetében kilépett, hogy sutyiban elszívjon egy cigit.
They had a sly drink in the kitchen while the children were watching TV.
Amíg a gyerekek tévét néztek, sutyiban ittak egy pohárral a konyhában.
She made a sly visit to the lawyer without telling her husband.
He took a sly look at his phone under the table.
The two managers had a sly meeting to discuss the takeover before telling the staff.
Učební příklady
He went to the back door for a sly cigarette.
Kiment a hátsó ajtóhoz, hogy sutyiban elszívjon egy cigit.
We had a sly drink in the bar before dinner.
Vacsora előtt sutyiban megittunk egy italt a bárban.
She made a sly visit to her friend after work.
He took a sly look at the test answers.
They had a sly meeting after the office closed.
Častá chyba:
Learners sometimes use this sense of 'sly' before any secret thing, like *a sly secret* or *a sly diary*. It is usually used with actions that break a rule or are a little bit naughty, such as a drink, cigarette, visit, or look.
Význam
secretly done, often not allowed
Kolokace
a sly cigarette
|a sly drink
|a sly visit
|a sly meeting
|take a sly look
|have a sly word
Synonyma
secret (More general; does not always suggest that something is wrong or not allowed.)
|
furtive (More formal; suggests nervous secret behavior because of guilt or fear of being caught.)
Antonyma
open (Describes actions done in a way that everyone can see, with nothing hidden.)
|
aboveboard (Describes behavior that is completely honest and not hidden, especially in business or deals.)
Témata
behavior
|law
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definice
Done secretly so that other people do not see, often because it is not allowed.
Done in a quiet, hidden way so that other people, especially people in authority, will not notice, often because it is wrong or not allowed.
Gramatika
Slovníkový tvar
sly
IPA
GB/slˈaɪ/
US/slˈaɪ/
Slabiky a přízvuk
sly (1 slabika)
Stress on 1st syllable (sly)
Tvary slova
Adjective
- Base: sly
- Comparative: slier
- Superlative: sliest
Příbuzná slova
Forms
slier
adjective
sliest
adjective
Core family
slyly
adverb
slyness
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
honest
adjective A2
straightforward
adjective B1
Výrazy
a sly dig
1/ə slˈaɪ dˈɪɡ/
fixed phrase
subtle, hidden criticism
A comment that seems friendly but is secretly a small, indirect criticism.
Příklady
- Her comment about punctuality felt like a sly dig at me.
- He couldn’t resist a sly dig at his rival during the interview.
- The article included a sly dig at the government’s handling of the crisis.
a sly grin
1/ə slˈaɪ ɡɹˈɪn/
fixed phrase
broad, secretly amused smile
A big, cheeky smile that shows you know a secret or find something funny, but you are not saying it directly.
Příklady
- He sat back with a sly grin, clearly happy with himself.
- A sly grin crossed her face when she saw his message.
- The child had a sly grin after hiding his sister’s toy.
a sly joke
1/ə slˈaɪ d͡ʒˈoʊk/
fixed phrase
joke hidden in normal speech
A quiet, clever joke that is not very obvious and may sound like normal speaking to some people.
Příklady
- He made a sly joke about the budget that only the finance team understood.
- The movie is full of sly jokes that adults will enjoy.
- She slipped in a sly joke about office politics during her presentation.
a sly look
1/ə slˈaɪ lˈʊk/
fixed phrase
look showing hidden knowledge
A way of looking at someone that quietly shows you know something or are planning something, without saying it.
Příklady
- She shot me a sly look before changing the subject.
- He gave his brother a sly look when their parents walked in.
- There was a sly look in his eyes as he made the offer.
a sly sense of humor
1/ə slˈaɪ sˈɛns əv hjˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
quiet, clever, indirect humor
A way of being funny that is quiet and clever, so that not everyone notices the joke.
Příklady
- He has a very sly sense of humor that you only notice after a while.
- Her sly sense of humor makes serious meetings more relaxed.
- The author’s sly sense of humor is easy to miss if you read quickly.
a sly smile
1/ə slˈaɪ smˈaɪl/
fixed phrase
smile showing secret amusement
A smile that quietly shows you know something or find something funny, but you are not saying it directly.
Příklady
- He gave a sly smile when I asked if he knew anything about the surprise.
- With a sly smile, she handed me the winning ticket.
- A sly smile spread across his face as the plan came together.
a sly wink
1/ə slˈaɪ wˈɪŋk/
fixed phrase
wink signaling a secret or joke
A quick closing of one eye that quietly tells someone you share a secret or a joke.
Příklady
- He gave me a sly wink as he slipped out of the room.
- With a sly wink, she agreed to help him.
- The magician ended the show with a sly wink to the audience.
on the sly
1/ˈɔn ðə slˈaɪ/
idiom
do something secretly or quietly
To do something secretly so that other people, especially people in authority, do not know about it.
Příklady
- He’s been seeing a lawyer on the sly because he’s thinking about divorce.
- She eats chocolate on the sly when the kids have gone to bed.
- The company paid some workers in cash on the sly to avoid taxes.
you sly fox
1/jˈu slˈaɪ fˈɑks/
fixed phrase
informal
playful praise for clever secrecy
A joking way to say that someone was very clever and secret when they did something.
Příklady
- You sly fox, you already bought the tickets and didn’t tell anyone!
- She hid the cake in her office? You sly fox!
- You sly fox, I didn’t know you could sing that well.
sly as a fox
1/slˈaɪ ˈæz ə fˈɑks/
idiom
very clever and tricky
Very clever in a quiet, secret way, especially at making plans that other people do not see.
Příklady
- He's sly as a fox when it comes to negotiations.
- Don’t be fooled by his friendly smile; he’s sly as a fox.
- She’s sly as a fox in business deals.
- She may seem innocent, but she’s sly as a fox when it comes to business.
- The lawyer was sly as a fox, finding a way around every objection.