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sly

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a sly dog

Someone who, through cunning, devious, or dishonest means, achieves a fortuitous outcome. What a sly dog, he managed to get a copy of the test so he could memorize the answers ahead of time!

See also: dog, sly

on the sly

Fig. secretly and deceptively. She was stealing little bits of money on the sly. Martin was having an affair with the maid on the sly.

See also: on, sly

*sly as a fox

 and *cunning as a fox

Cliché smart and clever. (*Also: as ~.) My nephew is as sly as a fox. You have to be cunning as a fox to outwit me.

See also: fox, sly

on the sly

secretly She's been going out with him on the sly.

See also: on, sly

on the sly

Furtively, secretly, as in She's always eating cookies on the sly. The adjective sly, which means "cunning" or "crafty," is here used as a noun. [c. 1800]

See also: on, sly

on the sly

mod. secretly and deceptively. She was stealing little bits of money on the sly.

See also: on, sly

sly

mod. excellent; cool. That is really a sly jacket you got there.

on the sly

In a way intended to escape notice: took extra payments on the sly.

See also: on, sly