different between clever vs interesting

English

Etymology

From East Anglian dialectal English cliver (“expert at seizing”), from Middle English cliver (“tenacious”), perhaps from Old English *clifer, clibbor (“clinging”), or perhaps from East Frisian (compare Saterland Frisian kluftich), or dialectal Norwegian klover (“ready, skillful”); possibly influenced by Old English clifer (“claw, hand”). Related to cleave. Perhaps influenced by Welsh celfydd (“talented, dexterous, expert”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?kl?v?/
• Rhymes: -?v?(r)
• Hyphenation: clev?er

Adjective

clever (comparative cleverer or more clever, superlative cleverest or most clever)

1. Nimble with hands or body; skillful; adept.
   • a. 1898, Francis James Child (collator), Child's Ballads, 198: "Bonny John Seton",

     The Highland men, they're clever men / At handling sword and shield,

2. Resourceful, sometimes to the point of cunning.
   • 1890, Joseph Jacobs (collator), Molly Whuppie, English Fairy Tales,

     The youngest of the three strange lassies was called Molly Whuppie, and she was very clever. She noticed that before they went to bed the giant put straw ropes round her neck and her sisters', and round his own lassies' necks, he put gold chains. So Molly took care and did not fall asleep, but waited till she was sure every one was sleeping sound. Then she slipped out of the bed, and took the straw ropes off her own and her sisters' necks, and took the gold chains off the giant's lassies. She then put the straw ropes on the giant's lassies and the gold on herself and her sisters, and lay down.
3. Smart, intelligent, or witty; mentally quick or sharp.
   • 19th c, Charles Kingsley, A Farewell,

     Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; / Do noble things, not dream them all day long: / And so make life, death, and that vast forever / One grand, sweet song.

   • 1912, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett (translator), The Brothers Karamazov, Book V, Chapter 7: "It's Always Worth While Speaking to a Clever Man",

     I would have sent Alyosha, but what use is Alyosha in a thing like that? I send you just because you are a clever fellow. Do you suppose I don't see that? You know nothing about timber, but you've got an eye.

4. Showing inventiveness or originality; witty.
5. (anthropology, of an Aboriginal Australian) Possessing magical abilities.
   • 1904, Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. XXXVIII, page 255,

     When a clever man is out hunting and comes across the tracks of, say, a kangaroo, he follows them along and talks to the footprints all the time for the purpose of injecting magic into the animal which made them.

   • 1947, Oceania, Volumes 16-17, page 330,

     Prior to this, the two women, who were “clever,” and possessed a certain amount of magical “power,” […] .
6. (obsolete) Fit; suitable; having propriety.
   • 18th c, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope (later lines), Imitation of Horace, 1852, Charles Knight (collator), Half-hours with the Best Authors, Volume 4, page 188,

     I can't but think 'twould sound more clever, / To me and to my heirs forever.

7. (obsolete) Well-shaped; handsome.
   • 1712, John Arbuthnot, The History of John Bull, Undated modern edition, Library of Alexandria, unnumbered page,

     The girl was a tight, clever wench as any was.

8. (US, dated) Good-natured; obliging.
9. (Britain, colloquial) Fit and healthy; free from fatigue or illness.

Synonyms

• (smart, intelligent or witty): quick-witted, sharp-witted
  • See also Thesaurus:intelligent
• (resourceful, perhaps cunning): cunning, street-smart
• (nimble or skillful): adroit, talented
• (showing inventiveness): ingenious
• (possessing magical powers): magical

Antonyms

• (smart, intelligent or witty): dull, stupid
• (resourceful, perhaps cunning): ineffectual, naive
• (nimble or skillful): clumsy
• (showing inventiveness):
• (possessing magical powers): natural

Derived terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• clever in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• clever in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• clever at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Clerve

German

Etymology

From English clever.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?kl?v?]
• Hyphenation: cle?ver

Adjective

clever (comparative cleverer or clevrer, superlative am cleversten)

1. clever

Declension

Further reading

• “clever” in Duden online

Middle English

Noun

clever

1. Alternative form of clevere

English

Etymology

From interest +? -ing.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??nt??st??/, /??nt??st??/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??nt???st??/, /??nt(?)??st??/, /??nt(?)??st??/, /??nt???st??/
• ,

Adjective

interesting (comparative more interesting, superlative most interesting)

1. (obsolete) Of concern; affecting, important.
   • 1791, James Boswell, Life of Johnson, Oxford 2008, p. 48:

     He indeed had good reason to be offended; for though Dr. Swinfen's motive was good, he inconsiderately betrayed a matter deeply interesting and of great delicacy, which had been entrusted to him in conference […] .

2. Arousing or holding the attention or interest of someone.
   • 2015-11-22, Stan Lee, "Marvel's Stan Lee: 'I'd never really thought of doing comics for a living.'", The Guardian:

     Comics were just another form of entertainment to me, but it got to be more and more interesting every day.

3. (euphemistic) Pregnant. [from 18th c.]
   • 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, vol. III, ch. 88:

     I found myself in a fair way of being a mother; and that I might be near my own relations, in such an interesting situation, I and my dear companion departed from H—n, not without great reluctance […] .

   • 1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby:

     Mrs Lenville (who, as has been before hinted, was in an interesting state) rushed from the rear rank of ladies, and uttering a piercing scream threw herself upon the body.

   • 1928, WB Maxwell, We Forget Because We Must:

     I'm afraid I seem to make heavy weather of my interesting condition.

Synonyms

• absorbing

Antonyms

• uninteresting
• boring

Derived terms

• interesting condition
• interestingly
• interestingness

Translations

Verb

interesting

1. present participle of interest