DEVIOUS, DEVIOUSLY, DEVIOUSNESS
ADJECTIVES
► BACK-DOOR mean, stealthy, underhand, devious, cunning, untrustworthy → 1898 N. Ireland (Bk.)
► CARNEY devious, sly → 1981 Aust. colloq. (Bk.)
► CRAFTLY displaying skill at deception or deviousness; crafty, cunning → 1526 obs.
► CROOKED AS A DOG’S HIND LEG devious, deceptive, fraudulent → 1840 Amer. dial.
► DOWN AND DIRTY unprincipled, devious, viciously competitive; employing ruthless or aggressive tactics → 1960
► FAR-FETCHED devious, circuitous → a1656 obs.
► NOT TOO COOL devious, unfair → 1960s Amer. sl.
► SCHEMY scheming; devious, tricky, sly → 1888 Amer. dial.
► VAGANT devious, erratic→ 1382 obs.
ADVERBS
► CRAFTLY cunningly; craftily; in a devious, wily, or shrewd manner → 1225 obs.
► DOWN AND DIRTY in a devious and surreptitious manner → 1959
NOUNS
► ARTISTIC PURPOSES devious or illicit intentions → 1975 Amer. dial.
► CONTWISTIFICATION a devious manoeuvre → 1852 Amer. dial. obs.
► MECHANICAL AND ARTISTIC PURPOSES devious or illicit intentions → 1975 Amer. dial.
► SCAMANDER devious progress → 1873
NOUNS – PERSON
► CHINCHER a devious or cunning person; a trickster, a cheat → 1688 sl.
► JACKAL a low and devious person → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► POSSUM a dissembler, a hypocrite; a devious or crafty person → 1846 US sl.
► SCHLENTERER a devious, untrustworthy person → 1970s S. Afr. sl.
► SNOKE-HORN a sneak; a devious rascal → M15
► WRONG GEE ► WRONG GUY a devious and corrupt man; an incompetent person; an untrustworthy person → 1920s US criminals’ sl.
VERBS
► CUT UP A CURLICUE to act in a devious manner; to play a trick or prank → 1840 Amer. dial.
► FANIGGLE to wangle, to manoeuvre, to obtain by devious means → 1930s Amer. dial.
► SCAMANDER to wander about, to take a a devious or winding course → 1864
► SMOUCH ► SMOUTCH to cheat one; to engage in devious or underhanded activities; to finagle → 1840 Amer. dial.
► SMOUGE to cheat; to engage in devious or underhanded activities, to finagle → 1855 Amer. dial.
► WANGLE to obtain something by deceitful or devious means → 1888 sl., orig. printers’ usage
Lexicophilia 