Definition of "clever" in английский

adjective

1. Nimble with hands or body; dexterous; skillful; adept.

   • My dad is quite clever with his hands, especially at carpentry.
   • a. 1898, Francis James Child (collator), Child's Ballads, 198: "Bonny John Seton", The Highland men, they're clever men At handling sword and shield,

2. Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.

3. Mentally quick and resourceful; skilled at achieving what one wants in a mentally agile and inventive way.

   • clever like a fox
   • With a clever lawyer, she could easily be acquitted.
   • 1890, Joseph Jacobs (collator), Molly Whuppie, English Fairy Tales, The youngest of the three strange lassies was called Molly Whuppie, and she was very clever. She noticed that before they went to bed the giant put straw ropes round her neck and her sisters', and round his own lassies' necks, he put gold chains. So Molly took care and did not fall asleep, but waited till she was sure every one was sleeping sound. Then she slipped out of the bed, and took the straw ropes off her own and her sisters' necks, and took the gold chains off the giant's lassies. She then put the straw ropes on the giant's lassies and the gold on herself and her sisters, and lay down.

4. Smart, intelligent, or witty; mentally quick or sharp.

   • And so make life, death, and that vast forever / One grand, sweet song.
   • 1912, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett (translator), The Brothers Karamazov, Book V, Chapter 7: "It's Always Worth While Speaking to a Clever Man", I would have sent Alyosha, but what use is Alyosha in a thing like that? I send you just because you are a clever fellow. Do you suppose I don't see that? You know nothing about timber, but you've got an eye.

5. (archaic) Sane; in one's right mind.

6. (of objects or actions) Showing mental quickness and resourcefulness.

   • This is a simple but clever trick to solve the problem.

7. (of objects or actions) Showing inventiveness or originality; witty.

8. (UK, colloquial, chiefly in the negative) Fit and healthy; free from fatigue or illness.

9. (US, dated) Good-natured; obliging.

10. (anthropology, of an Aboriginal Australian) Possessing magical abilities.

11. (obsolete) Fit; suitable; having propriety.

    • 18th c, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope (later lines), Imitation of Horace, 1852, Charles Knight (collator), Half-hours with the Best Authors, Volume 4, page 188, I can't but think 'twould sound more clever, To me and to my heirs forever.

12. (obsolete) Well-shaped; handsome.