Cunning (Hastings' Dictionary)

The Anglo-Saxon cunnan meant both ' to know ' and ' to be able,' whence both can, which Bacon uses as a finite verb. Essays (Gold Treas. ed. p. 40), 'In Evill, the best condition is, not to will ; "The Second, not to Can ' ; and also cunning, which is really the pres. Ptcp. of the A.-S. cunnnn as it appears in its Middle-Eng. form cunnen, to know. ' Cunning,' then, up to and after 1611, is generally knowledge, skill. Cf. Purvey's Preface to tfie Wycliflite Version of l.

SSS, ' the Holy Spyrit author of all wisdom and cunnynv'e and truth ' ; Bp. Barlowe's translation of .Ia3'M/)«j/o.7e(;i531], e<l. of 1897, p. 34), 'Who that among you is v\-yse endued with connynge'; and Sliaks. Othello, III. iii. 50, ' That errs in CUP CURIOUS 63S ignorance, and not in canning.' In AV the subst. •cunning' ocean only Ps 137', 'If I forget thee, O JenuuiJem, let my right band forget ner cun- ning.' * The adj.

is common, applied to men who are skilful in some work, or to the work they do Bkilfully. Thus Ex 35> 'the c. workman . . and . . those that devise o. work.' Once to women, Jer 9", in ref. to their skill as hired moumerB (on which see Thomson, Land and Book, iii. 403). But in Eph 4" ' c. craftiness,' 2 P I' ' cunningly devised fables,' the meaning is probably 'wily,' 'deceitful.' Amer. KV prefers ' skilful ' where cunning has that meaning (except Is 3* ' expert '). J. Hastings.