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# cunning

«cunning» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **clever at tricking people or getting what you want, often…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (cunning, more cunning); noun (cunning — uncountable)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Cunning means clever at tricking people or getting what you want, often in a sly or dishonest way. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#m1)

2) A cunning plan or idea is clever and well thought out. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#m2)

3) Cunning (noun) is the skill of tricking or deceiving people. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#m3)

4) (US, old informal) Cunning can mean cute: a cunning little puppy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Here it means skilled, a clever and expert hunter, not a sly cheat. Elsewhere it means skill in a craft, as in a hand's cunning, and also clever skill in magic, such as charmers and spell-binders. Interpretation: Some commentators read Esau's cunning as skill in tricking, including tricking his father. Others read it only as hunting skill, in contrast to Jacob the quiet tent-dweller. In Psalm 137 the exile's vow not to forget Jerusalem is read as loyalty even if it costs his best skill. In the primary lessons: In fairy tales and fables, the fox is cunning (it tricks the crow into dropping the cheese). In stories it can be a warning sign about a character or praise for a clever hero. Phrases: «a cunning plan», «as cunning as a fox», «use cunning».

### examples

- And the boys grew; and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. (Torah GEN.25.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x1)
- If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. (Writings PSA.137.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x2)
- Which hearkeneth not to the voice of charmers, or of the most cunning binder of spells. (Writings PSA.58.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x3)
- The captain of fifty, and the man of rank, and the counsellor, and the cunning charmer, and the skilful enchanter. (Prophets ISA.3.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x4)
- The cunning fox tricked the crow into dropping her cheese. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x5)
- I have a cunning plan to win the treasure hunt. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x6)
- The thief used cunning to get past the guards. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x7)
- Odysseus was famous for his cunning in the Trojan horse story. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x8)
- The cunning cat waited until we left the kitchen. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x9)
- Scammers can be very cunning, so never share your password. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x10)
- Common sense is always worth more than cunning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/#x11)

### note

Uncountable as a noun. Similar: sly, crafty, wily, clever. «Cunning» is not always bad: a hero can have a cunning plan.

### In the corpora

- [The captain of fifty, and the man of rank, and the counsellor, and the cunning charmer, and the skilful enchanter.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/ISA.57/)
- [Which hearkeneth not to the voice of charmers, or of the most cunning binder of spells.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.951/)
- [If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.2509/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «cunning» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/cunning/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.