furtive
Etymology

From Middle English *furtyve (implied in furtyvely), from Middle French furtif, furtive (modern French furtif), from Latin fūrtīvus, from fūrtum (from fūr, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ) + -īvus.

Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈfɜːtɪv/
  • (America) IPA: /ˈfɝtɪv/, [-ɾɪv]
  • (Australia) IPA: [ˈfɜːɾɪv]
Adjective

furtive

  1. Of a thing: done with evasive or guilty secrecy.
    Synonyms: clandestine, surreptitious, Thesaurus:covert
    • 1787–1789, William Wordsworth, “An Evening Walk, Addressed to a Young Lady”, in Henry [Hope] Reed, editor, The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, Philadelphia, Pa.: Hayes & Zell, […], published 1860, →OCLC ↗, page 27 ↗, column 2:
      [T]ender cares and mild domestic Loves, / With furtive watch, pursue her [a swan] as she moves; […]
    • 1824, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “The Adventure of the Mysterious Stranger”, in Tales of a Traveller, part 1 (Strange Stories. […]), Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea, […], →OCLC ↗, page 95 ↗:
      I noticed the same singular, and as it were, furtive glance over the shoulder that had attracted my attention in the Cassino.
    • 1855, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “An Old Friend”, in The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume II, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC ↗, page 128 ↗:
      The proprietor of the house cowered over a bed-candle and a furtive tea-pot in the back drawing-room.
    • 1859, Charles Dickens, “A Hand at Cards”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC ↗, book III (The Track of a Storm), page 198 ↗:
      "Don't call me Solomon. Do you want to be the death of me?" asked the man, in a furtive, frightened way.
    • 1949 June 8, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter 3, in Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel, London: Secker & Warburg, →OCLC ↗; republished [Australia]: Project Gutenberg of Australia, August 2001, part 1, page 31 ↗:
      Actually, as Winston well knew, it was only four years since Oceania had been at war with Eastasia and in alliance with Eurasia. But that was merely a piece of furtive knowledge which he happened to possess because his memory was not satisfactorily under control.
  2. Of a thing: that has been acquired by theft; stolen; also (generally) taken stealthily.
    • 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC ↗, book I (Knowledge), page 415 ↗:
      Novv ſhine theſe Planets vvith ſubſtantial Rays? / Does innate Luſtre gild their meaſur'd Days? / Or do they (as your Schemes, I think, have ſhovvn) / Dart furtive Beams, and Glory not their ovvn, / All Servants to that Source of Light, the Sun?
  3. Of a person or an animal: sly, stealthy.
    Synonyms: thieflike, thievish
    • 1857, Pisistratus Caxton [pseudonym; Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter V, in What will He Do with It? (Collection of British Authors; CCCCXL), Tauchnitz edition, volume III, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, →OCLC ↗, book VI, page 159 ↗:
      All women have their foibles. Wise husbands must bear and forbear. Is that all? wherefore, then, is her aspect so furtive, wherefore on his a wild, vigilant sternness?
    • 1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, “Setting Traps”, in Our Mutual Friend. […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC ↗, book the fourth (A Turning), page 165 ↗:
      So, Riderhood looking after him as he went, and he with his furtive hand laid upon the dagger as he passed it, and his eyes upon the boat, were much upon a par.
  4. Of a person, etc.: inclined to steal; pilfering, thieving.
    Synonyms: thievish
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