clever

clever
\ \ [13] Clever is rather a mystery word.
\ \ There is one isolated instance of what appears to be the word in an early 13th-century bestiary, where it means ‘dextrous’, and the connotations of ‘clutching something’ have led to speculation that it may be connected with claw. It does not appear on the scene again until the late 16th century, when its associations with ‘agility’ and ‘sprightliness’ may point to a link with Middle Dutch klever, of similar meaning. The modern sense ‘intelligent’ did not develop until the 18th century.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Clever — Clev er, a. [Origin uncertain. Cf. OE. cliver eager, AS. clyfer (in comp.) cloven; or clifer a claw, perh. connected with E. cleave to divide, split, the meaning of E. clever perh. coming from the idea of grasping, seizing (with the mind).] 1.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • clever — [klev′ər] adj. [ME cliver, prob. < EFris klüfer or Norw dial klöver, ready, skillful; ? infl. by OE clifer, claw, hand, in the sense, “adroit with the hand”: for the latter sense development, see ADROIT, DEXTEROUS] 1. skillful in doing… …   English World dictionary

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  • Clever — Clever, MO U.S. city in Missouri Population (2000): 1010 Housing Units (2000): 420 Land area (2000): 0.638569 sq. miles (1.653887 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.638569 sq. miles (1.653887 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Clever, MO — U.S. city in Missouri Population (2000): 1010 Housing Units (2000): 420 Land area (2000): 0.638569 sq. miles (1.653887 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.638569 sq. miles (1.653887 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • clever — Adj. (Mittelstufe) sehr klug, geschäftstüchtig Synonyme: gewitzt, schlau Beispiel: Der Junge ist außergewöhnlich clever. Kollokation: clever spielen …   Extremes Deutsch

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