slaɪ adj. (slyer, slyest) 1
cunning;
crafty;
wily. 2 a (of a person) practising
secrecy or
stealth. b (of an
action etc.)
done etc. in
secret. 3 hypocritical; ironical. 4
knowing; arch; bantering; insinuating. 5
Austral. & NZ sl. (esp. of liquor)
illicit. øon
the sly privately; covertly;
without publicity (smuggled
some through on the sly). sly
dog colloq. a
person who is
discreet about mistakes or pleasures. øøslyly adv. (also slily). slyness n. [ME sleh etc. f. ON sloegr cunning, orig. 'able to strike' f. sl×gpast stem of slÁ
strike:
cf. SLEIGHT]