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Devious

//ˈdiː.vi.əs// adj

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Cunning or deceiving, not straightforward or honest, not frank.
  2. 2
    Roundabout, circuitous, deviating from the direct or ordinary route. archaic

    "The wandering Arab never sets his tent Within her walls; the Shepherd eyes afar Her evil towers, and devious drives his flock."

Adjective
  1. 1
    deviating from a straight course wordnet
  2. 2
    indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading wordnet
  3. 3
    characterized by insincerity or deceit; evasive wordnet

Etymology

1590s, "out of the common or direct way," from Latin devius (“out of the way, remote, off the main road”), from de via, from de (“off”) (see de-) + via (“way, road”). Compare deviate. Originally in the Latin literal sense; the figurative sense of "deceitful" is first recorded 1630s. Related to deviously, deviousness. Figurative senses of the Latin word were "retired, sequestered, wandering in the byways, foolish, inconsistent."

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