Definition of clever in English:

clever

adjectivecleverest, cleverer ˈklɛvəˈklɛvər

1Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.
聪明的，伶俐的
she was an extremely clever and studious young woman
她是个极为聪明好学的姑娘。
how clever of him to think of this!
他想出这个主意，多么聪明啊！
Example sentencesExamples
- It seems to me it was quite clever of the union to refrain from publicly backing their stance, as this would have opened them up to legal action.
- It was clever of Fry to write a film score decades before the invention of the motion picture.
- It was clever of her not to have asked ‘Do you want to come?’
- As you may have gathered, fairies are among the most powerful and clever of species.
- Yes and I must say it was quite clever of you to figure that out so easily.
- While being quick and clever gives you an edge, this is one of those instant karma weeks - so if you don't want any, don't dish any.
- Pretension was compounded by the most clever of the cultured barbarians who pretended to be above it all.
- I think we're all to blame but we're to blame because we weren't clever enough to understand how the system worked.
- It was something smart, smart enough to fool even Amelia, who was the most clever of the three of them.
- How clever of the teacher, she thought, to get us so caught up in manipulating our legs into that position so that we were quiet for her for a little while.
- This was an interesting idea and it was very clever of Serocath to come up with it.
- As far as the local cat population in Elstow is concerned, how clever of them to wait until Mr Suter is away on holiday before they decide to devastate his garden.
- And how clever of them to choose an author who is so wildly popular with the young.
- Jo was clever, cunning, intelligent, very quick, and could see things which other people couldn't.
- I had to admit, she was either one of the coolest grown-ups I had ever met, or one of the most clever of criminal accomplices.
- He was of sturdy stock and clever of mind that saw him later in his career in the command of a privateer.
- How clever of you to have worked out at this late date that my name is Scott.
- ‘It was very clever of him to go for part-ownership of Canova's The Three Graces,’ says another critic.
- I thought that was clever of me, more clever than usual that is, haha.
- How clever of Dobbies to fly him in to its biggest centres to meet his devotees.
Synonyms
intelligent, bright, smart, brilliant
talented, gifted, precocious
capable, able, competent, apt, proficient
educated, learned, erudite, academic, bookish, knowledgeable, wise, sagacious
informal brainy, genius
1. 1.1 Skilled at doing or achieving something; talented.
  熟练的，灵巧的；有才能的
  he was very clever at getting what he wanted
  他很精于得到他想要的。
  both Grandma and Mother were clever with their hands
  外婆和妈妈两人手都很巧。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Women have become incredibly clever at explaining these choices in ways that barely mention social pressures or male desires.
  Being clever with a cleaver does not run in his family.
  Or are the birds simply so clever at finding a carcass soon after the animal's death that its owner concludes they are the perpetrators?
  People became so clever at avoiding the tax, revenue fell and the law was tightened.
  He's a good header of the ball and clever with it.
  He proved clever with traps and caught a hare or two every other day, the basis of a flavorsome if somewhat monotonous stew.
  There aren't many that can compete physically with big Brian Irvine but Flo is so clever with the ball at his feet that the need for a physical contest is almost non-existent.
  You can buy an optional i-Mon VFD to show through the front of the case, or you can hack in a Matrix Orbital display if you're clever with the screws.
  It was jolly clever of Spalding Gray to be able to sit down like that for hours.
  Fascism came to be led by the brutal, the ignorant and the criminal - men who were clever at exploiting the irrationality of the masses.
  Seasoned watchers of him will attest to his annoying habit of fading out of games and trying to be too clever at times.
  She enjoys disjunction, and she's also very clever with film technology.
  You are youthful, intense and clever at work to achieve goals and success in a tough assignment.
  Is he particularly clever at digging holes and burying the cash?
  He's wise and he's very clever at the game and I think he's going into his testimonial season so it's working out fantastic for him.
  What makes them artists is when they can create pictures and you can visualize what they're saying and they can play around with the rhymes and be clever with words.
  He was a confident trickster and was very clever at getting people to take his side.
  They're never overly clever with anything that they do, chord progressions and bass lines are hardly contrived.
  Like Mamie, she had studied fashion design and was always clever with her hands.
  Receivers are simply too clever at this level for that.
  Synonyms
  skilful, dexterous, adroit, deft, nimble, nimble-fingered, handy, adept
  skilled, talented
2. 1.2 Showing skill and originality; ingenious.
  a simple but clever idea for helping people learn computing
  一个帮助人们学习电脑的简单而巧妙的主意。
  he taught the dog to perform some very clever tricks
  他教那条狗表演一些很灵巧的把戏。
  Example sentencesExamples
  It was a clever and original fundraising idea that offered people a challenge.
  The game is not especially challenging, the hurdles one must overcome are not particularly original or clever, and I soon lost interest.
  This is supposed to be satirical, but it's neither original nor clever, and the effect of viewing this cheese wears off pretty quickly.
  Such clever allusions in the original title must have been deemed too esoteric for potential buyers.
  A paid designer will use all sorts of clever artistic tricks - you now know that you will lose clients that way.
  What was needed therefore was a superlative comeback - original, clever without pretentiousness and above all very funny.
  The art of the quick retort, the clever reply, the sharp tongue are things many of us wish we had more of.
  It was clever, original, surprisingly complex and - most importantly - was not manufactured like so much of our contemporary music.
  Its initial premise - follow a single murder case for an entire season - was clever at the time.
  There are cataclysmic family secrets that are revealed, and a Shakespearean finale that is a clever spin on the original.
  It reminds you how clever, how witty, how well thought out the song is.
  This has got to be one of the most clever of e-mails.
  Civil servants, accustomed to hiding behind walls of secrecy, might simply devise clever new ways to foil the public's right to know.
  It probably seemed clever at the time but, five years on, hung without any sense of history or irony in a big official institution, it feels almost depressing.
  The originals used a clever little insert that slipped right inside a .45 magazine.
  What gain is there in silencing another, through ridicule, for example, or the clever use of debating skills, if it is at the cost of truth?
  We must always remember that what lures people here is the prospect of original and clever ideas.
  However, while this approach is clever at first, it wears out its welcome before the film reaches its conclusion.
  I saw nothing original or clever or ingenious about this film.
  According to Strong AI, a computer may play chess intelligently, make a clever move, or understand language.
  Synonyms
  shrewd, astute, sharp, acute, quick, sharp-witted, quick-witted
  ingenious, resourceful, canny, cunning, crafty, artful, wily, slick, neat
  informal foxy, savvy
  British informal fly
  Scottish &amp Northern English informal pawky
  North American informal as sharp as a tack, cute, whip-smart
3. 1.3informal usually with negative Sensible; well advised.
  〈非正式〉明智的；深思熟虑的
  Joe had a feeling it wasn't too clever, leaving Dolly alone
  乔有种感觉，丢下多利不管并不明智。
  Example sentencesExamples
  This is not as clever as it sounds, because Teazers stocks a comprehensive range of men's deodorants in their bathrooms.
  Then Chicken Little crying wolf won't look like such a clever strategy, will it?
  The view expressed by Mr. Winer, and to a lesser extent Dr. Grant, is often considered very clever and sensible.
  Synonyms
  wise, sensible, prudent, politic, shrewd, astute, canny, sagacious, common-sense, commonsensical, sound, well advised, well judged, well thought out, considered, thoughtful, perceptive, discerning, clear-sighted, insightful, far-sighted, percipient, discriminating, informed, intelligent, enlightened, logical, rational
2British informal predicative, with negative Healthy or well.
〈英，非正式〉健壮的，健康的
I was up and about by this time though still not too clever
那时我虽然仍还不是很健康，但已能下床走动了。
Example sentencesExamples
- I didn't feel too clever driving back either, but managed to avoid passing out on the M1 and got us all back safely.
- After several midnight loo dashes we woke up on Tuesday morning feeling not too clever.
- If you're feeling not too clever for some reason, stick on some music - it helps!

Phrases

too clever by half

informal (of a person) annoyingly proud of their intelligence or skill, and liable to overreach themselves.
〈非正式〉未免太聪明了，卖弄小聪明
he always was too clever by half
Example sentencesExamples
- The only problem with such a bright Artificial Intelligence is that it would be too clever by half.
- In fact some of them are too clever by half, as you ought to know.
- He has a tendency to be too clever by half, but no longer tries to let everybody know it.
- One must be clever, as long as one is not too clever by half.
- Although some critics have said Danny has only been too clever by half on Kaya, there is no question that he has proved his staying power.
- Too often the band's lush harmonies and soothing guitars are accompanied by an annoying tendency to be too clever by half.
- But policymakers are too clever by half to grasp it.
- The film is too clever by half and so beautifully played it doesn't matter.
- It's the most sophisticated electorate in the land - and too clever by half.
- The theory is certainly instructive and clever, but many feel that it is too clever by half.

Origin

Middle English (in the sense 'quick to catch hold', only recorded in this period): perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin, and related to cleave². In the late 16th century the term came to mean (probably through dialect use) 'manually skilful'; the sense 'possessing mental agility' dates from the early 18th century.

Rhymes

endeavour (US endeavor), ever, forever, however, howsoever, never, never-never, sever, Trevor, whatever, whatsoever, whenever, whensoever, wheresoever, wherever, whichever, whichsoever, whoever, whomever, whomsoever, whosoever

Definition of clever in US English:

clever

adjectiveˈklevərˈklɛvər

1Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.
聪明的，伶俐的
a clever and studious young woman
她是个极为聪明好学的姑娘。
how clever of him to think of this!
他想出这个主意，多么聪明啊！
Example sentencesExamples
- As you may have gathered, fairies are among the most powerful and clever of species.
- ‘It was very clever of him to go for part-ownership of Canova's The Three Graces,’ says another critic.
- Pretension was compounded by the most clever of the cultured barbarians who pretended to be above it all.
- I thought that was clever of me, more clever than usual that is, haha.
- How clever of the teacher, she thought, to get us so caught up in manipulating our legs into that position so that we were quiet for her for a little while.
- Jo was clever, cunning, intelligent, very quick, and could see things which other people couldn't.
- While being quick and clever gives you an edge, this is one of those instant karma weeks - so if you don't want any, don't dish any.
- He was of sturdy stock and clever of mind that saw him later in his career in the command of a privateer.
- I had to admit, she was either one of the coolest grown-ups I had ever met, or one of the most clever of criminal accomplices.
- I think we're all to blame but we're to blame because we weren't clever enough to understand how the system worked.
- And how clever of them to choose an author who is so wildly popular with the young.
- Yes and I must say it was quite clever of you to figure that out so easily.
- It was clever of Fry to write a film score decades before the invention of the motion picture.
- It was something smart, smart enough to fool even Amelia, who was the most clever of the three of them.
- As far as the local cat population in Elstow is concerned, how clever of them to wait until Mr Suter is away on holiday before they decide to devastate his garden.
- This was an interesting idea and it was very clever of Serocath to come up with it.
- How clever of you to have worked out at this late date that my name is Scott.
- It seems to me it was quite clever of the union to refrain from publicly backing their stance, as this would have opened them up to legal action.
- How clever of Dobbies to fly him in to its biggest centres to meet his devotees.
- It was clever of her not to have asked ‘Do you want to come?’
Synonyms
intelligent, bright, smart, brilliant
1. 1.1 Skilled at doing or achieving something; talented.
  熟练的，灵巧的；有才能的
  he was clever at getting what he wanted
  他很精于得到他想要的。
  she is clever with her hands
  Example sentencesExamples
  It was jolly clever of Spalding Gray to be able to sit down like that for hours.
  Being clever with a cleaver does not run in his family.
  There aren't many that can compete physically with big Brian Irvine but Flo is so clever with the ball at his feet that the need for a physical contest is almost non-existent.
  You are youthful, intense and clever at work to achieve goals and success in a tough assignment.
  People became so clever at avoiding the tax, revenue fell and the law was tightened.
  Women have become incredibly clever at explaining these choices in ways that barely mention social pressures or male desires.
  She enjoys disjunction, and she's also very clever with film technology.
  Fascism came to be led by the brutal, the ignorant and the criminal - men who were clever at exploiting the irrationality of the masses.
  He proved clever with traps and caught a hare or two every other day, the basis of a flavorsome if somewhat monotonous stew.
  He's a good header of the ball and clever with it.
  He's wise and he's very clever at the game and I think he's going into his testimonial season so it's working out fantastic for him.
  Is he particularly clever at digging holes and burying the cash?
  Or are the birds simply so clever at finding a carcass soon after the animal's death that its owner concludes they are the perpetrators?
  Receivers are simply too clever at this level for that.
  They're never overly clever with anything that they do, chord progressions and bass lines are hardly contrived.
  Like Mamie, she had studied fashion design and was always clever with her hands.
  Seasoned watchers of him will attest to his annoying habit of fading out of games and trying to be too clever at times.
  He was a confident trickster and was very clever at getting people to take his side.
  You can buy an optional i-Mon VFD to show through the front of the case, or you can hack in a Matrix Orbital display if you're clever with the screws.
  What makes them artists is when they can create pictures and you can visualize what they're saying and they can play around with the rhymes and be clever with words.
  Synonyms
  skilful, dexterous, adroit, deft, nimble, nimble-fingered, handy, adept
2. 1.2 Showing intelligence or skill; ingenious.
  （物品，行动，主意）聪明的，灵巧的；机敏的
  a simple but clever idea for helping people learn computing
  一个帮助人们学习电脑的简单而巧妙的主意。
  Example sentencesExamples
  It probably seemed clever at the time but, five years on, hung without any sense of history or irony in a big official institution, it feels almost depressing.
  I saw nothing original or clever or ingenious about this film.
  It reminds you how clever, how witty, how well thought out the song is.
  This has got to be one of the most clever of e-mails.
  There are cataclysmic family secrets that are revealed, and a Shakespearean finale that is a clever spin on the original.
  What was needed therefore was a superlative comeback - original, clever without pretentiousness and above all very funny.
  Its initial premise - follow a single murder case for an entire season - was clever at the time.
  A paid designer will use all sorts of clever artistic tricks - you now know that you will lose clients that way.
  According to Strong AI, a computer may play chess intelligently, make a clever move, or understand language.
  It was a clever and original fundraising idea that offered people a challenge.
  The originals used a clever little insert that slipped right inside a .45 magazine.
  However, while this approach is clever at first, it wears out its welcome before the film reaches its conclusion.
  We must always remember that what lures people here is the prospect of original and clever ideas.
  Such clever allusions in the original title must have been deemed too esoteric for potential buyers.
  The art of the quick retort, the clever reply, the sharp tongue are things many of us wish we had more of.
  Civil servants, accustomed to hiding behind walls of secrecy, might simply devise clever new ways to foil the public's right to know.
  The game is not especially challenging, the hurdles one must overcome are not particularly original or clever, and I soon lost interest.
  It was clever, original, surprisingly complex and - most importantly - was not manufactured like so much of our contemporary music.
  This is supposed to be satirical, but it's neither original nor clever, and the effect of viewing this cheese wears off pretty quickly.
  What gain is there in silencing another, through ridicule, for example, or the clever use of debating skills, if it is at the cost of truth?
  Synonyms
  shrewd, astute, sharp, acute, quick, sharp-witted, quick-witted
3. 1.3dated, informal usually with negative Sensible; well-advised.
  〈非正式〉明智的；深思熟虑的
  it wasn't too clever, leaving Dolly alone
  乔有种感觉，丢下多利不管并不明智。
  Example sentencesExamples
  The view expressed by Mr. Winer, and to a lesser extent Dr. Grant, is often considered very clever and sensible.
  Then Chicken Little crying wolf won't look like such a clever strategy, will it?
  This is not as clever as it sounds, because Teazers stocks a comprehensive range of men's deodorants in their bathrooms.
  Synonyms
  wise, sensible, prudent, politic, shrewd, astute, canny, sagacious, common-sense, commonsensical, sound, well advised, well judged, well thought out, considered, thoughtful, perceptive, discerning, clear-sighted, insightful, far-sighted, percipient, discriminating, informed, intelligent, enlightened, logical, rational

Phrases

too clever by half

informal Annoyingly proud of one's intelligence or skill and in danger of overreaching oneself.
Example sentencesExamples
- The theory is certainly instructive and clever, but many feel that it is too clever by half.
- One must be clever, as long as one is not too clever by half.
- The film is too clever by half and so beautifully played it doesn't matter.
- But policymakers are too clever by half to grasp it.
- In fact some of them are too clever by half, as you ought to know.
- Although some critics have said Danny has only been too clever by half on Kaya, there is no question that he has proved his staying power.
- Too often the band's lush harmonies and soothing guitars are accompanied by an annoying tendency to be too clever by half.
- The only problem with such a bright Artificial Intelligence is that it would be too clever by half.
- He has a tendency to be too clever by half, but no longer tries to let everybody know it.
- It's the most sophisticated electorate in the land - and too clever by half.

Origin

Middle English (in the sense ‘quick to catch hold’, only recorded in this period): perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin, and related to cleave. In the late 16th century the term came to mean (probably through dialect use) ‘manually skillful’; the sense ‘possessing mental agility’ dates from the early 18th century.

单词	clever
释义	Definition of clever in English: clever adjectivecleverest, cleverer ˈklɛvəˈklɛvər 1Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent. 聪明的，伶俐的 she was an extremely clever and studious young woman 她是个极为聪明好学的姑娘。 how clever of him to think of this! 他想出这个主意，多么聪明啊！ Example sentencesExamples It seems to me it was quite clever of the union to refrain from publicly backing their stance, as this would have opened them up to legal action. It was clever of Fry to write a film score decades before the invention of the motion picture. It was clever of her not to have asked ‘Do you want to come?’ As you may have gathered, fairies are among the most powerful and clever of species. Yes and I must say it was quite clever of you to figure that out so easily. While being quick and clever gives you an edge, this is one of those instant karma weeks - so if you don't want any, don't dish any. Pretension was compounded by the most clever of the cultured barbarians who pretended to be above it all. I think we're all to blame but we're to blame because we weren't clever enough to understand how the system worked. It was something smart, smart enough to fool even Amelia, who was the most clever of the three of them. How clever of the teacher, she thought, to get us so caught up in manipulating our legs into that position so that we were quiet for her for a little while. This was an interesting idea and it was very clever of Serocath to come up with it. As far as the local cat population in Elstow is concerned, how clever of them to wait until Mr Suter is away on holiday before they decide to devastate his garden. And how clever of them to choose an author who is so wildly popular with the young. Jo was clever, cunning, intelligent, very quick, and could see things which other people couldn't. I had to admit, she was either one of the coolest grown-ups I had ever met, or one of the most clever of criminal accomplices. He was of sturdy stock and clever of mind that saw him later in his career in the command of a privateer. How clever of you to have worked out at this late date that my name is Scott. ‘It was very clever of him to go for part-ownership of Canova's The Three Graces,’ says another critic. I thought that was clever of me, more clever than usual that is, haha. How clever of Dobbies to fly him in to its biggest centres to meet his devotees. Synonyms intelligent, bright, smart, brilliant talented, gifted, precocious capable, able, competent, apt, proficient educated, learned, erudite, academic, bookish, knowledgeable, wise, sagacious informal brainy, genius 1.1 Skilled at doing or achieving something; talented. 熟练的，灵巧的；有才能的 he was very clever at getting what he wanted 他很精于得到他想要的。 both Grandma and Mother were clever with their hands 外婆和妈妈两人手都很巧。 Example sentencesExamples Women have become incredibly clever at explaining these choices in ways that barely mention social pressures or male desires. Being clever with a cleaver does not run in his family. Or are the birds simply so clever at finding a carcass soon after the animal's death that its owner concludes they are the perpetrators? People became so clever at avoiding the tax, revenue fell and the law was tightened. He's a good header of the ball and clever with it. He proved clever with traps and caught a hare or two every other day, the basis of a flavorsome if somewhat monotonous stew. There aren't many that can compete physically with big Brian Irvine but Flo is so clever with the ball at his feet that the need for a physical contest is almost non-existent. You can buy an optional i-Mon VFD to show through the front of the case, or you can hack in a Matrix Orbital display if you're clever with the screws. It was jolly clever of Spalding Gray to be able to sit down like that for hours. Fascism came to be led by the brutal, the ignorant and the criminal - men who were clever at exploiting the irrationality of the masses. Seasoned watchers of him will attest to his annoying habit of fading out of games and trying to be too clever at times. She enjoys disjunction, and she's also very clever with film technology. You are youthful, intense and clever at work to achieve goals and success in a tough assignment. Is he particularly clever at digging holes and burying the cash? He's wise and he's very clever at the game and I think he's going into his testimonial season so it's working out fantastic for him. What makes them artists is when they can create pictures and you can visualize what they're saying and they can play around with the rhymes and be clever with words. He was a confident trickster and was very clever at getting people to take his side. They're never overly clever with anything that they do, chord progressions and bass lines are hardly contrived. Like Mamie, she had studied fashion design and was always clever with her hands. Receivers are simply too clever at this level for that. Synonyms skilful, dexterous, adroit, deft, nimble, nimble-fingered, handy, adept skilled, talented 1.2 Showing skill and originality; ingenious. a simple but clever idea for helping people learn computing 一个帮助人们学习电脑的简单而巧妙的主意。 he taught the dog to perform some very clever tricks 他教那条狗表演一些很灵巧的把戏。 Example sentencesExamples It was a clever and original fundraising idea that offered people a challenge. The game is not especially challenging, the hurdles one must overcome are not particularly original or clever, and I soon lost interest. This is supposed to be satirical, but it's neither original nor clever, and the effect of viewing this cheese wears off pretty quickly. Such clever allusions in the original title must have been deemed too esoteric for potential buyers. A paid designer will use all sorts of clever artistic tricks - you now know that you will lose clients that way. What was needed therefore was a superlative comeback - original, clever without pretentiousness and above all very funny. The art of the quick retort, the clever reply, the sharp tongue are things many of us wish we had more of. It was clever, original, surprisingly complex and - most importantly - was not manufactured like so much of our contemporary music. Its initial premise - follow a single murder case for an entire season - was clever at the time. There are cataclysmic family secrets that are revealed, and a Shakespearean finale that is a clever spin on the original. It reminds you how clever, how witty, how well thought out the song is. This has got to be one of the most clever of e-mails. Civil servants, accustomed to hiding behind walls of secrecy, might simply devise clever new ways to foil the public's right to know. It probably seemed clever at the time but, five years on, hung without any sense of history or irony in a big official institution, it feels almost depressing. The originals used a clever little insert that slipped right inside a .45 magazine. What gain is there in silencing another, through ridicule, for example, or the clever use of debating skills, if it is at the cost of truth? We must always remember that what lures people here is the prospect of original and clever ideas. However, while this approach is clever at first, it wears out its welcome before the film reaches its conclusion. I saw nothing original or clever or ingenious about this film. According to Strong AI, a computer may play chess intelligently, make a clever move, or understand language. Synonyms shrewd, astute, sharp, acute, quick, sharp-witted, quick-witted ingenious, resourceful, canny, cunning, crafty, artful, wily, slick, neat informal foxy, savvy British informal fly Scottish &amp Northern English informal pawky North American informal as sharp as a tack, cute, whip-smart 1.3informal usually with negative Sensible; well advised. 〈非正式〉明智的；深思熟虑的 Joe had a feeling it wasn't too clever, leaving Dolly alone 乔有种感觉，丢下多利不管并不明智。 Example sentencesExamples This is not as clever as it sounds, because Teazers stocks a comprehensive range of men's deodorants in their bathrooms. Then Chicken Little crying wolf won't look like such a clever strategy, will it? The view expressed by Mr. Winer, and to a lesser extent Dr. Grant, is often considered very clever and sensible. Synonyms wise, sensible, prudent, politic, shrewd, astute, canny, sagacious, common-sense, commonsensical, sound, well advised, well judged, well thought out, considered, thoughtful, perceptive, discerning, clear-sighted, insightful, far-sighted, percipient, discriminating, informed, intelligent, enlightened, logical, rational 2British informal predicative, with negative Healthy or well. 〈英，非正式〉健壮的，健康的 I was up and about by this time though still not too clever 那时我虽然仍还不是很健康，但已能下床走动了。 Example sentencesExamples I didn't feel too clever driving back either, but managed to avoid passing out on the M1 and got us all back safely. After several midnight loo dashes we woke up on Tuesday morning feeling not too clever. If you're feeling not too clever for some reason, stick on some music - it helps! Phrases too clever by half informal (of a person) annoyingly proud of their intelligence or skill, and liable to overreach themselves. 〈非正式〉未免太聪明了，卖弄小聪明 he always was too clever by half Example sentencesExamples The only problem with such a bright Artificial Intelligence is that it would be too clever by half. In fact some of them are too clever by half, as you ought to know. He has a tendency to be too clever by half, but no longer tries to let everybody know it. One must be clever, as long as one is not too clever by half. Although some critics have said Danny has only been too clever by half on Kaya, there is no question that he has proved his staying power. Too often the band's lush harmonies and soothing guitars are accompanied by an annoying tendency to be too clever by half. But policymakers are too clever by half to grasp it. The film is too clever by half and so beautifully played it doesn't matter. It's the most sophisticated electorate in the land - and too clever by half. The theory is certainly instructive and clever, but many feel that it is too clever by half. Origin Middle English (in the sense 'quick to catch hold', only recorded in this period): perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin, and related to cleave². In the late 16th century the term came to mean (probably through dialect use) 'manually skilful'; the sense 'possessing mental agility' dates from the early 18th century. Rhymes endeavour (US endeavor), ever, forever, however, howsoever, never, never-never, sever, Trevor, whatever, whatsoever, whenever, whensoever, wheresoever, wherever, whichever, whichsoever, whoever, whomever, whomsoever, whosoever adj.1 phr. Definition of clever in US English: clever adjectiveˈklevərˈklɛvər 1Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent. 聪明的，伶俐的 a clever and studious young woman 她是个极为聪明好学的姑娘。 how clever of him to think of this! 他想出这个主意，多么聪明啊！ Example sentencesExamples As you may have gathered, fairies are among the most powerful and clever of species. ‘It was very clever of him to go for part-ownership of Canova's The Three Graces,’ says another critic. Pretension was compounded by the most clever of the cultured barbarians who pretended to be above it all. I thought that was clever of me, more clever than usual that is, haha. How clever of the teacher, she thought, to get us so caught up in manipulating our legs into that position so that we were quiet for her for a little while. Jo was clever, cunning, intelligent, very quick, and could see things which other people couldn't. While being quick and clever gives you an edge, this is one of those instant karma weeks - so if you don't want any, don't dish any. He was of sturdy stock and clever of mind that saw him later in his career in the command of a privateer. I had to admit, she was either one of the coolest grown-ups I had ever met, or one of the most clever of criminal accomplices. I think we're all to blame but we're to blame because we weren't clever enough to understand how the system worked. And how clever of them to choose an author who is so wildly popular with the young. Yes and I must say it was quite clever of you to figure that out so easily. It was clever of Fry to write a film score decades before the invention of the motion picture. It was something smart, smart enough to fool even Amelia, who was the most clever of the three of them. As far as the local cat population in Elstow is concerned, how clever of them to wait until Mr Suter is away on holiday before they decide to devastate his garden. This was an interesting idea and it was very clever of Serocath to come up with it. How clever of you to have worked out at this late date that my name is Scott. It seems to me it was quite clever of the union to refrain from publicly backing their stance, as this would have opened them up to legal action. How clever of Dobbies to fly him in to its biggest centres to meet his devotees. It was clever of her not to have asked ‘Do you want to come?’ Synonyms intelligent, bright, smart, brilliant 1.1 Skilled at doing or achieving something; talented. 熟练的，灵巧的；有才能的 he was clever at getting what he wanted 他很精于得到他想要的。 she is clever with her hands Example sentencesExamples It was jolly clever of Spalding Gray to be able to sit down like that for hours. Being clever with a cleaver does not run in his family. There aren't many that can compete physically with big Brian Irvine but Flo is so clever with the ball at his feet that the need for a physical contest is almost non-existent. You are youthful, intense and clever at work to achieve goals and success in a tough assignment. People became so clever at avoiding the tax, revenue fell and the law was tightened. Women have become incredibly clever at explaining these choices in ways that barely mention social pressures or male desires. She enjoys disjunction, and she's also very clever with film technology. Fascism came to be led by the brutal, the ignorant and the criminal - men who were clever at exploiting the irrationality of the masses. He proved clever with traps and caught a hare or two every other day, the basis of a flavorsome if somewhat monotonous stew. He's a good header of the ball and clever with it. He's wise and he's very clever at the game and I think he's going into his testimonial season so it's working out fantastic for him. Is he particularly clever at digging holes and burying the cash? Or are the birds simply so clever at finding a carcass soon after the animal's death that its owner concludes they are the perpetrators? Receivers are simply too clever at this level for that. They're never overly clever with anything that they do, chord progressions and bass lines are hardly contrived. Like Mamie, she had studied fashion design and was always clever with her hands. Seasoned watchers of him will attest to his annoying habit of fading out of games and trying to be too clever at times. He was a confident trickster and was very clever at getting people to take his side. You can buy an optional i-Mon VFD to show through the front of the case, or you can hack in a Matrix Orbital display if you're clever with the screws. What makes them artists is when they can create pictures and you can visualize what they're saying and they can play around with the rhymes and be clever with words. Synonyms skilful, dexterous, adroit, deft, nimble, nimble-fingered, handy, adept 1.2 Showing intelligence or skill; ingenious. （物品，行动，主意）聪明的，灵巧的；机敏的 a simple but clever idea for helping people learn computing 一个帮助人们学习电脑的简单而巧妙的主意。 Example sentencesExamples It probably seemed clever at the time but, five years on, hung without any sense of history or irony in a big official institution, it feels almost depressing. I saw nothing original or clever or ingenious about this film. It reminds you how clever, how witty, how well thought out the song is. This has got to be one of the most clever of e-mails. There are cataclysmic family secrets that are revealed, and a Shakespearean finale that is a clever spin on the original. What was needed therefore was a superlative comeback - original, clever without pretentiousness and above all very funny. Its initial premise - follow a single murder case for an entire season - was clever at the time. A paid designer will use all sorts of clever artistic tricks - you now know that you will lose clients that way. According to Strong AI, a computer may play chess intelligently, make a clever move, or understand language. It was a clever and original fundraising idea that offered people a challenge. The originals used a clever little insert that slipped right inside a .45 magazine. However, while this approach is clever at first, it wears out its welcome before the film reaches its conclusion. We must always remember that what lures people here is the prospect of original and clever ideas. Such clever allusions in the original title must have been deemed too esoteric for potential buyers. The art of the quick retort, the clever reply, the sharp tongue are things many of us wish we had more of. Civil servants, accustomed to hiding behind walls of secrecy, might simply devise clever new ways to foil the public's right to know. The game is not especially challenging, the hurdles one must overcome are not particularly original or clever, and I soon lost interest. It was clever, original, surprisingly complex and - most importantly - was not manufactured like so much of our contemporary music. This is supposed to be satirical, but it's neither original nor clever, and the effect of viewing this cheese wears off pretty quickly. What gain is there in silencing another, through ridicule, for example, or the clever use of debating skills, if it is at the cost of truth? Synonyms shrewd, astute, sharp, acute, quick, sharp-witted, quick-witted 1.3dated, informal usually with negative Sensible; well-advised. 〈非正式〉明智的；深思熟虑的 it wasn't too clever, leaving Dolly alone 乔有种感觉，丢下多利不管并不明智。 Example sentencesExamples The view expressed by Mr. Winer, and to a lesser extent Dr. Grant, is often considered very clever and sensible. Then Chicken Little crying wolf won't look like such a clever strategy, will it? This is not as clever as it sounds, because Teazers stocks a comprehensive range of men's deodorants in their bathrooms. Synonyms wise, sensible, prudent, politic, shrewd, astute, canny, sagacious, common-sense, commonsensical, sound, well advised, well judged, well thought out, considered, thoughtful, perceptive, discerning, clear-sighted, insightful, far-sighted, percipient, discriminating, informed, intelligent, enlightened, logical, rational Phrases too clever by half informal Annoyingly proud of one's intelligence or skill and in danger of overreaching oneself. Example sentencesExamples The theory is certainly instructive and clever, but many feel that it is too clever by half. One must be clever, as long as one is not too clever by half. The film is too clever by half and so beautifully played it doesn't matter. But policymakers are too clever by half to grasp it. In fact some of them are too clever by half, as you ought to know. Although some critics have said Danny has only been too clever by half on Kaya, there is no question that he has proved his staying power. Too often the band's lush harmonies and soothing guitars are accompanied by an annoying tendency to be too clever by half. The only problem with such a bright Artificial Intelligence is that it would be too clever by half. He has a tendency to be too clever by half, but no longer tries to let everybody know it. It's the most sophisticated electorate in the land - and too clever by half. Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘quick to catch hold’, only recorded in this period): perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin, and related to cleave. In the late 16th century the term came to mean (probably through dialect use) ‘manually skillful’; the sense ‘possessing mental agility’ dates from the early 18th century. adj.1 phr.
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