PhrasesHub

sly as a fox

    Definitions

      • clever and cunning
        To describe someone who is shrewd and crafty in their actions or behavior

      • secretive
        To depict someone who is discreet and keeps their intentions or actions hidden

    Examples of sly as a fox

    • The CEO's sharp negotiations and cunning business tactics made him sly as a fox in the competitive market.

      The phrase "sly as a fox" means being clever, clever enough to outsmart others in a situation. In the given example, the CEO's exceptional negotiation skills and strategic business approach make him comparable to a fox, known for its intelligence and cunningness.

    • In the boardroom meeting, the marketing executive's witty comebacks and calculated actions left everyone stunned, making them believe that he was sly as a fox.

      The use of the idiom here emphasizes the marketing executive's sharp intelligence, leading him to succeed in his business venture. The person's crafty actions and clever remarks leave everyone surprised and amazed, similar to a fox's tricks in a forest.

    • The contestant's sneaky moves and cunning words during the debate left the audience in awe, making them compare him to a sly fox.

      In this example, the phrase "sly as a fox" is used to describe the contestant's cleverness and deceitful actions during the debate. The comparison with a fox highlights the person's strategic abilities, allowing him to outsmart his opponents and win the debate.

    • The brand's creative director's imaginative advertisements and insightful marketing techniques make him sly as a fox in the advertising world.

      The idiom here illustrates the creativity and innovative thinking of the brand's director. His exceptional marketing skills and strategic planning are compared to the fox's intellect, allowing him to excel in the advertising world.

    • The salesperson was sly as a fox when negotiating the price with the customer. She knew exactly how to persuade him to pay more without him realizing it.

      The idiom "sly as a fox" means very clever and cunning, especially in a deceitful way. In this example, the salesperson was extremely clever in her negotiations with the customer, just like a sly fox would be in the wild.

    • The politician carefully crafted his responses to the media, always being sly as a fox and avoiding answering any direct questions.

      Here, the politician's ability to evade and manipulate the truth is being compared to the cunning of a fox. The idiom highlights the politician's cleverness and deceitful tactics in dealing with the media.

    • The student aced the exam, outsmarting the teacher with her sly as a fox approach to the questions.

      In this example, the student's intelligence and cunning are being compared to that of a fox. The word "sly" suggests the student may have been dishonest or used manipulative tactics to answer the exam questions, just as a fox would use its wit and cunning to avoid danger.

    • The thief slipped away undetected, leaving the police baffled by his sly as a fox tactics.

      This final example uses the idiom to describe the thief's cleverness and ability to outsmart the police. "Sly as a fox" implies that the thief was able to avoid getting caught through his cunning and wit, just as a sly fox might avoid getting caught by its prey.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "sly as a fox" is used to describe someone who is clever and cunning in their actions, often with a connotation of secrecy. It can be used to praise someone for their shrewdness or to caution against trusting someone who is being deceitful. The idiom is versatile and can be used in various contexts to convey the idea of someone being sly or cunning.

    Overall, the idiom "sly as a fox" serves as a colorful way to describe someone's cunning or secretive nature, adding depth and vivid imagery to the English language.

    Origin of "sly as a fox"

    The origin of the idiom "sly as a fox" can be traced back to the reputation of foxes as cunning and elusive animals in folklore and literature. Foxes are often depicted as clever and crafty creatures, known for their ability to outwit other animals. This imagery has contributed to the use of the idiom to describe someone who possesses similar qualities of cleverness and secrecy.

    The idiom likely gained popularity due to its vivid and memorable imagery, as well as its ability to succinctly convey the traits of cunning and secrecy in just a few words. Over time, it has become a well-known and widely used phrase in the English language, capturing the enduring fascination with the intelligence and wiles of the fox.