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- Dictionarycan·ny/ˈkanē/
adjective
- 1. having or showing shrewdness and good judgment, especially in money or business matters: "canny shoppers came early for a bargain"
- 2. pleasant; nice: Northern English, Scottish "she's a canny lass"
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The meaning of CANNY is clever, shrewd; also : prudent. How to use canny in a sentence.
CANNY definition: 1. thinking quickly and cleverly, especially in business or financial matters: 2. good or…. Learn more.
Canny definition: careful; cautious; prudent. See examples of CANNY used in a sentence.
A canny person is clever and able to think quickly. You can also describe a person's behaviour as canny.
CANNY meaning: 1. thinking quickly and cleverly, especially in business or financial matters: 2. good or…. Learn more.
adjective. /ˈkæni/ intelligent, careful and showing good judgement, especially in business or politics. a canny politician. a canny move. He was canny enough to see that they were trying to trap him. Her opponent proved to be more canny than she’d thought. It's a canny move on his part, as he's effectively silenced one of his harshest critics.
1. Careful and shrewd, especially where one's own interests are concerned. 2. Cautious in spending money; frugal. 3. Scots. a. Steady, restrained, and gentle. b. Snug and quiet. [From can.] can′ni·ly adv. can′ni·ness n. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
Careful in action; gentle; easy; quiet. Webster's New World. Similar definitions. Snug and quiet. American Heritage. Good; nice; fine. Webster's New World. More Adjective Definitions (2) Synonyms: thrifty. sparing. frugal. economical. scotch. prudent. provident.
In contemporary usage, canny is a synonym for shrewd. Both words mean smart or sharp-witted, but they also suggest that someone is smart in a self-serving and possibly even tricky way. Canny is also related to the word cunning — another adjective meaning "wise," but with negative connotations.
A canny person is clever and able to think quickly. You can also describe a person's behaviour as canny. [...]