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Furtive

//ˈfɜːtɪv// adj

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Of a thing: done with evasive or guilty secrecy.

    "[…] The Defendant never vvas acknovvledged by the Sieur Harrouard’s Family, nor by that of his VVife. Thus, granting him to have been in Poſſeſſion of his Son’s Eſtate, it vvould only be a furtive and clandeſtine, not a public and avovved Poſſeſſion; and conſequently ſuch a Poſſeſſion as is incapable of founding a juſt and legal Title."

  2. 2
    Of a thing: that has been acquired by theft; stolen; also (generally) taken stealthily.

    "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. 3
    Of a person or an animal: sly, stealthy.

    "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?"

  4. 4
    Of a person, etc.: inclined to steal; pilfering, thieving.
Adjective
  1. 1
    secret and sly or sordid wordnet
  2. 2
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed wordnet

Etymology

From Middle English *furtyve (implied in furtyvely (adverb)), from Middle French furtif, furtive (“furtive, stealthy”) (modern French furtif), from Latin fūrtīvus (“clandestine, furtive, secret; concealed, hidden; stolen”), from fūrtum (“theft; robbery”) (from fūr (“thief”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to bear, carry”)) + -īvus (suffix forming adjectives).

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