guile
[gahyl]
- insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; duplicity.
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Origin of guile
Synonyms
See more synonyms for guile on Thesaurus.comtrickery, fraud, craft.
Synonym study
See duplicity.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for guile
Contemporary Examples
But to say nothing of the innovative frame structure, what stands out here is the guile and agency of the female characters.
"If that is the case, hats off to him for guile and deviousness," says Yossi Verter in Haaretz.
Historical Examples
There was no guile or evil in them, and because of it she wondered all the more that she could not face them.
The Monster MenEdgar Rice Burroughs
Thus he says, truly, therefore we must meet guile with guile.
The Merry Adventures of Robin HoodHoward Pyle
He was being forced to play a deep game with her and was meeting guile with guile.
Ruggles of Red GapHarry Leon Wilson
There must be guile behind it, or he knew naught of the ways of men.
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
The cardinal's smile had changed from one of benignity to one of guile.
The Historical Nights Entertainment, Second SeriesRafael Sabatini
guile
- clever or crafty character or behaviour
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Word Origin
C18: from Old French guile, of Germanic origin; see wile
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for guile
n.
mid-12c., from Old French guile "deceit, wile, fraud, ruse, trickery," from Frankish *wigila "trick, ruse" or a related Germanic source (cf. Old Frisian wigila "sorcery, witchcraft," Old English wil "trick;" see wile).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper