CLEVERNESS
(as) sly as a fox
smart and clever.My nephew is as sly as a fox.You have to be sly as a fox to outwit me.
live by one's wits
to survive by being clever.When you're in the kind of business I'm in, you have to live by your wits.John was orphaned at the age often and grew up living by his wits.
steal a march (on someone)
to get some sort of an advantage over someone without being noticed.I got the contract because I was able to steal a march on my competitor.You have to be clever and fast—not dishonest—to steal a march.
cagey
mod. sneaky; shrewd.Bruno is pretty cagey. You have to keep an eye on him.He's too cagey for me. I don't trust him at all.
sharpie
n. a clever operator; a clever person.She's a real sharpie. She'll take you for everything you've got.A young sharpie in the first row got the answer right away.
skunk
tr. to outwit someone.I skunked them. They'll never find me.That fish skunked me. I thought I caught him for sure this time.
skunked
mod. outwitted; outscored; defeated.The home team skunked the visitors for the third year in a row.I was skunked on this year's fishing trip. Not even a bite.
slick
mod. clever; glib.He is a slick operator.His talk is slick, but his action is zotz.
smart cookie
n. a clever person.She's really a smart cookie if you give her a chance.Fred is a smart cookie and really ought to go far.
smooth operator and smoothie
n. a clever and quiet person, especially in reference to romantic involvement.Clare is an old smoothie till she thinks she's got everything the way she wants. Then you see the real Clare.Hank is a smooth operator. The girls just love him.
swift
mod. smart and clever.Excuse my brother. He's not too swift.Dave is doing well in school. He's swift, and he likes his classes.