guile

English

Etymology

From Middle English gile, from Anglo-Norman gile, from Old French guile (“deception”), from Frankish *wigila (“ruse”). Cognate via Proto-Germanic with wile.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɡaɪl/
• Rhymes: -aɪl

Noun

guile (countable and uncountable; plural guiles)

1. (uncountable) Astuteness often marked by a certain sense of cunning or artful deception.
   • 2011 November 11, Rory Houston, “Estonia 0-4 Republic of Ireland”, RTE Sport:

     Estonia were struggling to get to grips with the game while Ireland were showing a composure and guile that demonstrated their experience in play-off ties.

2. deceptiveness, deceit, fraud, duplicity, dishonesty
   • 'The Bible - King James Version: John 1:47

     Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Translations

astuteness, cunning

Finnish: juonikkuus, kavaluus French: ruse (fr) f., fourberie (fr) f. German: Gerissenheit (de) f. Icelandic: vélabrögð (is) n. pl., kænska (is) f., slægð (is) f.

Interlingua: astutia Italian: astuzia (it) Portuguese: astúcia (pt) f., fraude Spanish: astucia (es) f.

Verb

guile (third-person singular simple present guiles, present participle guiling, simple past and past participle guiled)

1. to deceive, to beguile

Translations

to deceive, to beguile

Icelandic: véla (is), tæla (is)

Derived terms

• beguile
• guileful
• guileless

Related terms

• wile

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Old French

Etymology

Frankish, see above

Noun

guile f. (oblique plural guiles, nominative singular guile, nominative plural guiles)

1. trickery; deception
   • circa 1250, Rutebeuf, Ci encoumence li miracles que nostre Dame fist dou soucretain et d'une dame:

     Moult saveiz bien servir de guile.

     You know very well how to use trickery

Descendants

• English: guile

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881)