artful

Adjective

artful (comparative more artful, superlative most artful)

1. Characterized by, or performed with, cleverness or contrivance; clever, ingenious.
   • The nights ſtrange proſpects, made to feede the eyes; / With Artfull fyres, mounted in the skies: / Graced with horred claps of ſulphury thunders; / May make your mind, Iehouahs greater wonders.1613 (indicated as 1612), George Wither, “Epithalamion”, in Epithalamia: or, Nuptiall Poems upon the Most Blessed and Happie Mariage betweene the High and Mightie Prince Frederick the Fifth, Count...
   • The doctrine that we can discover facts, detect the hidden processes of nature, by an artful manipulation of language, is so contrary to common sense, that a person must have made some advances in philosophy to believe it; […]1843, John Stuart Mill, “The Same Subject Continued [Of Demonstration, and Necessary Truths]”, in A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive, being a Connected View of the Principles of Evidence...
2. Not naturally produced; artificial; imitative.
   • Some of this Artfull coulour now I want, / VVhich from the Muſes I deſire to borrow, / In Melancholly Priam to diſpaint / The perfect Image and true face of Sorrow, […]1609, Tho[mas] Heywood, “Canto. 8.”, in Troia Britanica: Or, Great Britaines Troy. […], London: […] W[illiam] Iaggard, →OCLC, stanza 16, page 173
   • But oh! vvith Noon-day Heats oppreſs'd, / My aking Temples call for Reſt! / In yon cool Grotto's artful Night / Refreſhing Slumbers I'll invite, […]1707, [Joseph Addison], Rosamond. An Opera. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 15
3. Exhibiting or using much art or skill; dexterous; skilful.
   • [W]e, in changed ſhapes, act Ovid's tales, / […] / Then vvill I haue thee in more moderne formes, / Attired like ſome ſprightly dame of France, / Braue Tuſcan lady, or proud Spaniſh beauty; / Sometimes, vnto the Perſian Sophies vvife; / Or the grand-Signiors miſtreſſe; and, for change, / To one of...1605 (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Volpone, or The Foxe. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616...
   • VVhat ſtrength of arm, or Art-full ſtratagem, / From Nile’s fell Rover could deliver them, / VVho runs, and rovves, vvarring by Land and VVater / 'Gainſt Men and Fiſhes, ſubiect to his ſlaughter?1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His First Week, or Birth of the World: […].] The Sixt Daie of the First Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and...

   Synonyms:

   adroit

4. (especially) Skilful at using dishonest or unfair means to achieve a purpose; crafty, cunning.
   • Here, again, were shadows on the window-blind of guests assembling; and there a group of handsome girls, all hooded and fur-booted, and all chattering at once, tripped lightly off to some near neighbour's house; where, wo upon the single man who saw them enter—artful witches: well they knew it—in a...1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, pages 100–101
   • "Now, this is a very artful dog," said Mr. Boffin, with a deep look. "This is a longer-headed schemer than I thought him.["]1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, “The Golden Dustman at His Worst”, in Our Mutual Friend. […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC, 3rd book (A Long Lane), page...

   Synonyms:

   deceitful, underhand, astute, cautelous, crafty, cunning, devious, diabolical, foxlike, foxy

5. (obsolete) Knowledgeable about the liberal arts; learned, wise.