cagey


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.

ca·gey

also ca·gy  (kā′jē)
adj. ca·gi·er, ca·gi·est
1. Wary; careful: a cagey avoidance of a definite answer.
2. Crafty; shrewd: a cagey lawyer.

[Origin unknown.]

ca′gi·ly adv.
ca′gi·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cagey

(ˈkeɪdʒɪ) or

cagy

adj, -ier or -iest
informal not open or frank; cautious; wary
[C20: of unknown origin]
ˈcagily adv
ˈcaginess, ˈcageyness, ˈcagyness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cag•ey

or cag•y

(ˈkeɪ dʒi)

adj. cag•i•er, cag•i•est.
cautious, wary, or shrewd: a cagey manner; a cagey reply.
[1890–95, Amer.]
cag′i•ly, adv.
cag′i•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.cagey - showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others; "a cagey lawyer"; "too clever to be sound"
smart - showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
2.cagey - characterized by great caution and wariness; "a cagey avoidance of a definite answer"; "chary of the risks involved"; "a chary investor"
cautious - showing careful forethought; "reserved and cautious; never making swift decisions"; "a cautious driver"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

cagey

cagy
adjective (Informal) guarded, reserved, careful, cautious, restrained, wary, discreet, shrewd, wily, reticent, noncommittal, chary He is cagey about what he was paid for his business.
reckless, careless, unwary, indiscreet, unthinking, imprudent
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

cagey

also cagy
adjective
Having or showing a clever awareness and resourcefulness in practical matters:
Informal: savvy.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
سرّي ،متكتّـم
tajnůstkářský
hemmelighedsfuldtilbageholdende
laumulegur
nekalbusslaptingasslaptingumas
atturīgsizvairīgs
tajnostkársky
ağzı sıkı

cagey

[ˈkeɪdʒɪ] (cagier (compar) (cagiest (superl))) ADJ (= reserved) → reservado; (= cautious) → cauteloso
he was very cagey about iten eso se anduvo con mucha reserva
Michael was cagey about his plans after resigningMichael mantenía celosamente en secreto sus planes tras dimitir
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

cagey

[ˈkeɪdʒi] adjréticent(e), méfiant(e)
to be cagey about sth → faire des cachotteries sur qch
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

cagey

adj (inf)vorsichtig; behaviour, answer alsozugeknöpft (inf); (= evasive)ausweichend; what are you being so cagey about?warum tust du so geheimnisvoll?; she was very cagey about her agesie hat aus ihrem Alter ein großes Geheimnis gemacht; he was very cagey about his planser hat mit seinen Absichten hinterm Berg gehalten
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

cagey

[ˈkeɪdʒɪ] adj (fam) → evasivo/a
to give a cagey answer → dare una risposta evasiva
to be cagey about doing sth → esitare a fare qc
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

cagey

(ˈkeidʒi) adjective
secretive. He's very cagey about his plans.
ˈcaginess noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
And there weren't any at all about the asylum, only a few poor weeny-teeny things out in front with little whitewashed cagey things about them.
THERE has been nothing between the sides in recent jousts with the last two league meetings proving to be cagey, dull affairs.
In a cagey first half at Plainmoor the Gulls had the majority of the chances, although the sides went in level at the break.
The first-half was a cagey affair, but Pools' Eifion Williams saw a well-struck shot parried by Bantams keeper Paul Henderson in the eighth minute and then spooned the rebound wide of the goal.
Khan is desperate for a title shot but promoter Frank Warren prefers to play it cagey - Khan's next fight will be in June against a no-hoper, possibly in a cage.
But the full-back reckons Big Eck might be best to forget about the flair and return to Walter Smith's cagey set-up of two years ago if they're to get a positive result in Italy on Wednesday.
The rest of the half was a cagey affair with neither side creating any clear-cut chances.
THE opening fifteen minutes of this game were a cagey affair with neither team really creating any clear-cut opportunities.
The Twin Peaks director teamed up with Jeremy Irons for the mysterious thriller , reportedly called Inland Empire, but is very cagey about the details.
The Addicks may have struggled at The Valley this season, but they are a cagey, hard-working side and should be able to account for Howard Wilkinson's men.