† cautelousadj.
Obsolete or archaic.
1. Full of cautels; deceitful, crafty, artful, wily.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [adjective]
warec888
craftyOE
hinderyeapc1000
yepec1000
foxc1175
slya1200
hinderc1200
quaint?c1225
wrenchfulc1225
wiltfula1250
wilyc1330
subtle1340
cautelous138.
sleightful1380
subtile1387
enginousa1393
wilfula1400
wilyc1407
sleighty1412
serpentinec1422
ginnousa1425
wittya1425
semyc1440
artificial?a1475
sleight1495
slapea1500
shrewdc1525
craftly1526
foxy1528
gleering?1533
foxish1535
insidious1545
vafrous1548
wily beguile1550
wilely1556
fine1559
todly1571
practic1585
subdolous1588
captious1590
witryff1598
cautel1606
cunninga1616
versute1616
shiftfula1618
artificious1624
insidiary1625
canny1628
lapwing-like1638
pawky?a1640
tricksome1648
callid1656
versutious1660
artful1663
slim1674
dexterous1701
trickish1705
supple1710
slid1719
vulpinary1721
tricksy1766
trickful1775
sneck-drawing1786
tricky1786
louche1819
sneck-drawn1820
slyish1828
vulpine1830
kokum1839
spidery1843
dodgy1861
ladino1863
carney1881
slinky1951
138. J. Wyclif Serm. in Sel. Wks. I. 223 Ypocritis ben cautellous for to take men in wordis.
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Cock & Fox l. 402 in Poems (1981) 19 The fox fenȝeit, craftie and cawtelows.
1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. xxv By falshode lyuynge: and by wayes cautelous.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iv. i. 34 Your Sonne..caught With cautelous baits and practice. View more context for this quotation
1661 S. Morgan Sphere of Gentry ii. iii. 36 An Adder or Snake..signifying his cautulous devises and deceivable policies.
1840 R. Browning Sordello iv. 364 Cautelous Old Redbeard.
2.
a. Cautious, wary, heedful, circumspect.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > care, carefulness, or attention > caution > [adjective]
warelyOE
warec1000
adviseda1325
averty1330
aware1340
ferdfula1382
well-advisedc1405
circumspect1430
hooly1513
fearful1526
curiousa1533
chary1542
wareful1548
cautelous1574
cauty1579
careful1580
wary1580
retentive1599
wary1599
ginger1600
circumstant1603
cautel1606
shya1616
cautionate1616
warisome1628
cautiousa1640
circumspectious1649
circumspectivea1674
gingerish1764
safe1874
pussy-footed1893
pussyfooting1926
risk-averse1961
risk-adverse1969
1574 E. Hellowes tr. A. de Guevara Familiar Epist. 498 I do..approue that men with their wiues be cautelous.
1639 J. Woodall Surgeons Mate (rev. ed.) 239 That they be exceeding cautulous and warie in the inward use of all Minerall medicines.
1744 R. North & M. North Life Sir D. North & Rev. J. North 123 This makes all Dealing with them very nice and cautelous.
1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian To Rdr. in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. I. 6 I have been cautelous in quoting mine authorities.
b. Const. of, infinitive, or clause.
ΚΠ
1628 O. Felltham Resolves: 2nd Cent. xxviii. sig. N4v To be more cautelous of him.
1639 R. Verney in V. Papers (1853) 225 They are very cautelous how they let any thinge of this nature passe.
1659 tr. King James VI & I Let. in J. Rushworth Hist. Coll. 168/2 You must be cautelous not to proceed any further in this business.
1670 R. Baxter Cure Church-div. 343 To be cautelous what wife we choose.
a1677 I. Barrow Of Love of God (1680) 250 We are to be cautelous of medling with controversies.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adj.138.