Cannyとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源 1

Northern English dialect, from can (“to know”) ( +‎ -y), from 中期英語 can, first and third person singular of cunnen, connen (“to be able, know how to”), from 古期英語 cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”). Compare Scots canny, English cunny, 古期英語 cann (“knowledge, assertion”). More at can, cunning.

形容詞

canny (comparative cannier, superlative canniest)

1. Careful, prudent, cautious.

   The politician gave a canny response to the reporter’s questions.

   • 1723-1737, Allan Ramsay, “Love Inviting Reason”, in The Tea-Table Miscellany:

     O! as thou art bonny, be prudent and canny,
     And think on thy Jamie wha dotes upon thee

   • 1816, [Walter Scott], The Antiquary. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:

     “Canny now, lads, canny now!” exclaimed old Mucklebackit, who acted as commodore; “swerve the yard a bit—Now—there! there she sits safe on dry land.”

2. Knowing, shrewd, astute.

   The canny lawyer knew just how to get what he wanted.

   • 2005 May 8, Paul Harris, “How canny Paris turned into a global business brand”, in The Guardian‎:

     ‘Paris Hilton is A-list. She’s a genuinely really big star,’ said Professor Robert Thompson, a popular culture expert at Syracuse University. She’s also a canny money-making machine.

   • 2022 March 29, Bret Stephens, “What if Putin Didn’t Miscalculate?”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:

     Then again, in war, politics and life, it’s always wiser to treat your adversary as a canny fox, not a crazy fool.

3. Frugal, thrifty.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:frugal

   canny investments

   • 1751, Allan Ramsay, “The Gentle Shepherd”, in Poems by Allan Ramsay, published 1751:

     Whate’er he wins, I’ll guide with canny care.

4. (Scotland, Northumbria) Friendly, pleasant, fair, agreeable; (sometimes) funny.

   She’s a canny lass hor like!

   • 1783, Robert Burns, “Green Grow the Rashes O”, in Songs and Ballads:

     But gie me a cannie hour at e’en,
     My arms about my dearie O;
     An’ warl’y cares, an’ warl’y men,
     Mae a’ gae tapsalteerie O!

5. (Scotland, Northumbria) Gentle, quiet, steady.

   a canny horse

   Be canny with this letter.

使用する際の注意点

• In common modern usage, canny and uncanny are no longer antonyms, although they are not synonyms.

派生語

• cannily
• canniness

関連する語

副詞

canny (not comparable)

1. (Northumbria) Very, considerably; quite, rather.

   a canny long journey

   canny near home

   That’s a canny big horse, man!

2. (Scotland, Northumbria) Gently, quietly; carefully, skilfully.

   he sits very canny

   drive canny

派生語

• ca' canny

参照

• Frank Graham, editor (1987), “CANNY”, in The New Geordie Dictionary, Rothbury, Northumberland: Butler Publishing, →ISBN.
• Scott Dobson, Dick Irwin, “canny”, in Newcastle 1970s: Durham & Tyneside Dialect Group‎, archived from the original on 5 September 2024.
• Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4
• Todd's Geordie Words and Phrases, George Todd, Newcastle, 1977[4]

語源 2

Back-formation from uncanny.

形容詞

canny (comparative cannier, superlative canniest)

1. (proscribed) Natural, normal.
   • 1865, Sheridan Le Fanu, Uncle Silas:

     I should have been glad to be assured that she prayed when on her knees, or read when that book was before her; I should have felt that she was more canny and human.

   • 1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian:

     “Live here with a lot of blooming performing animals! No fear,” they said. “And ghosts too,” some added with a shudder. “That’s what those Dryads really are. It’s not canny.”

語源 3

can (“more or less cylindrical metal container”) +‎ -y

形容詞

canny

1. (especially of sound) Sounding as if it is coming through a tin can.
   • 1998 August 20, Kallel, Four speakers are a pain in the ass ;P, in 3dfx.products.voodoo2:

     The rear sounds sounded canny compared to the front ones. And you also have to adjust the volume so both pair of speakers are at the same level, […]

   • 2000 October 17, Dreamin Man, “Lexicon MPX 100?”, in rec.audio.pro (Usenet):

     I am using the stereo outs, I am getting nice reverb out of it but the probelm is the entire sound is like i said like its coming through a can. even when in bypass mode it sound "canny".
     Thank you for your input.
     Stacey

   • 2001 October 8, Philippe, “Antwerp - what a disappointment !!!!”, in alt.music.depeche-mode (Usenet):

     I was approch. 3 meters from the stage and the sound was very good from there. But if you had seats way up at the sides or at the back I can understand that you could have experienced a "canny" sound.

   • 2006 March 23, The Chris, “Re: Best Distortion Under $100”, in alt.guitar (Usenet):

     The metal zone is too 'canny'.... Boss has a handful of great distortions - DS-1, Mega Distortion, DS-2, Heavy Metal....

   • 2010 May 24, nm...@wt.net, “FlipHD Saturday SECTR5 LittleWing”, in alt.guitar (Usenet):

     Not bad.. Although I think the 290 might have a slight edge on video crispness, I think the audio is better on the ultra HD. Hear more low end, and slightly less canny sounding from what I can tell.

アナグラム

• Nancy, nancy