clever
- 01 A2 Elementary
quick to learn and understand things.
possessing or displaying mental agility and the ability to learn or understand things quickly.
Simple“The clever student finished the difficult math test in half the time.”
In context“She was clever enough to realise that the initial data set was flawed before the team wasted weeks on further analysis.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
showing a smart or original way of doing something.
demonstrating inventiveness, originality, or effective design in a process or object.
Simple“That is a clever way to store your shoes under the bed.”
In context“The architect devised a clever solution to the lighting problem by installing a series of angled mirrors in the central atrium.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
good at making things or using your hands.
dexterous or physically skillful, particularly in the context of manual crafts or technical tasks.
Simple“He is very clever with his hands and can fix almost any machine.”
In context“The artisan was remarkably clever with a chisel, carving intricate patterns into the hardwood with effortless precision.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
good at getting what you want, sometimes by tricking others.
mentally quick and resourceful in a way that may be perceived as deceptive or manipulative.
Simple“The fox in the story was clever and managed to steal the cheese.”
In context“The politician was known for being a clever negotiator who could steer a conversation toward his own goals without others noticing.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
feeling healthy and full of energy.
physically fit, healthy, or recovered from an illness.
Simple“I am not feeling very clever today, so I think I will stay in bed.”
In context“After a week of heavy flu, he finally admitted he was feeling a bit more clever and ready to return to work.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is specific to certain British dialects and is almost always used in the negative ('not feeling clever') to mean feeling unwell.
From East Anglian dialectal English cliver (“expert at seizing”), from Middle English cliver (“tenacious”). perhaps from Old English clifer, clibbor (“clinging”); or perhaps from Dutch, Low German, or East/Saterland Frisian (compare kluftich (“clever, prudent”), probably derived from Proto-West Germanic kleuban (“to cleave, split”)); or dialectal Norwegian klover (“ready, skillful”), itself borrowed from Middle Low German klever, related to kleven (“to stick”), from Old Saxon klibōn, from Proto-West Germanic klibēn, related to the Old English word above; * possibly influenced by Old English clifer (“claw, hand”) (compare clawian (“to claw”)). Related to cleave. Perhaps influenced by Welsh celfydd (“talented, dexterous, expert”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.