8 results for: connive

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

con·nive

Audio Help [kuh-nahyv] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used without object), -nived, -niv·ing.

1.	to cooperate secretly; conspire (often fol. by with): They connived to take over the business.

2.	to avoid noticing something that one is expected to oppose or condemn; give aid to wrongdoing by forbearing to act or speak (usually fol. by at): The policeman connived at traffic violations.

3.	to be indulgent toward something others oppose or criticize (usually fol. by at): to connive at childlike exaggerations.

[Origin: 1595–1605; (< F conniver) < L co(n)nīvére to close the eyes in sleep, turn a blind eye, equiv. to con- con- + -nīvére, akin to nictāre to blink (cf. nictitate)

]

—Related forms

con·niv·er, noun

con·niv·ing·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. plan, plot, collude.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
connive

To learn more about connive visit Britannica.com

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

con·nive Audio Help (kə-nīv') Pronunciation Key
intr.v. con·nived, con·niv·ing, con·nives

To cooperate secretly in an illegal or wrongful action; collude: The dealers connived with customs officials to bring in narcotics.
To scheme; plot.
To feign ignorance of or fail to take measures against a wrong, thus implying tacit encouragement or consent: The guards were suspected of conniving at the prisoner's escape.

[Latin cōnīvēre, connīvēre, to close the eyes.]

con·niv'er n., con·niv'er·y n.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
connive

1602, from L. conivere "to wink," from com- "together" + base akin to nictare "to wink," from PIE base *knei-gwh- "to bend." Hence, "to wink at (a crime), be secretly privy."

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

connive
verb
1.	encourage or assent to illegally or criminally
2.	form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner [syn: scheme]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
connive [kəˈnaiv] verb

(with at) to make no attempt to hinder (something wrong or illegal)
Example: Her mother connived at the child's truancy.

Arabic:	يَتَغاضي عَن، يَتَواطَأ سِرّاً مع
Chinese (Simplified):	纵容，默许
Chinese (Traditional):	縱容，默許
Czech:	přimhouřit oko nad
Danish:	være medvidende om; lukke øjnene for
Dutch:	oogluikend toelaten
Estonian:	läbi sõrmede vaatama
Finnish:	ummistaa silmänsä joltakin
French:	fermer les yeux sur
German:	stillschweigend dulden
Greek:	προσποιούμαι άγνοια, κάνω τα στραβά μάτια
Hungarian:	szemet huny vmi felett
Icelandic:	hylma yfir
Indonesian:	membiarkan
Italian:	chiudere gli occhi*

Japanese:	見て見ぬふりをする
Korean:	묵인하다
Latvian:	iecietīgi izturēties; skatīties caur pirkstiem
Lithuanian:	nuolaidžiauti, pro pirštus žiūrėti
Norwegian:	lukke øynene for, se gjennom fingrene med, la gå upåtalt hen
Polish:	patrzeć przez palce, pobłażać
Portuguese (Brazil):	ser conivente
Portuguese (Portugal):	ser cúmplice
Romanian:	a închide ochii la
Russian:	попустительствовать
Slovak:	zavrieť oči (nad)
Slovenian:	zatisniti oči (pred)
Spanish:	hacer la vista gorda
Swedish:	se genom fingrarna med, blunda för
Turkish:	göz yummak, suç ortaklığı yapmak

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This

Main Entry: con·nive
Pronunciation: k&-'nIv
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: con·nived; con·niv·ing
Etymology: Latin con(n)ivere to close one's eyes, knowingly overlook something
: to assent knowingly and wrongfully without opposition to another's wrongdoing; specifically : to knowingly consent to a spouse's marital misconduct and esp. to adultery

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Connive

Con*nive"\ (k[o^]n*n[imac]v"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Connived (-n[imac]vd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Conniving.] [L. connivere to shut the eyes, connive, fr. con- + (perh.) a word akin to nicere to beckon, nictare to wink.]

1. To open and close the eyes rapidly; to wink. [Obs.]

The artist is to teach them how to nod judiciously, and to connive with either eye. --Spectator.

2. To close the eyes upon a fault; to wink (at); to fail or forbear by intention to discover an act; to permit a proceeding, as if not aware of it; -- usually followed by at.

To connive at what it does not approve. --Jer. Taylor.

In many of these, the directors were heartily concurring; in most of them, they were encouraging, and sometimes commanding; in all they were conniving. --Burke.

The government thought it expedient, occasionally, to connive at the violation of this rule. --Macaulay.

View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web