different between sneaky vs shady

English

Etymology

From sneak +? -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sni?ki/
• Rhymes: -i?ki

Adjective

sneaky (comparative sneakier, superlative sneakiest)

1. Difficult to catch due to constantly outwitting the adversaries

   Catching those thieves will be hard: they're so sneaky!

2. Dishonest; deceitful.

   They played a sneaky trick on us.

Synonyms

• slippery
• evasive, dodgy

Derived terms

• sneaky suspicion

Related terms

• sneak

Translations

Further reading

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

Noun

sneaky (plural sneakies)

1. (espionage, slang) Any device used for covert surveillance.
   • 1974, Miles Copeland, Without cloak or dagger: the truth about the new espionage (page 244)

     […] in cooperation with the National Security Agency, installs and maintains "sneakies" throughout the U.S.S.R. and Communist China — but increasingly, denied areas are surveyed more simply.

   • 1991, Chapman Pincher, The Truth about Dirty Tricks

     […] has used travellers to plant 'sneakies' - small electronic transmitting devices which form part of a surveillance network.

Anagrams

• Kaysen, Sankey, Yankes, snakey

English

Etymology

From shade +? -y. Compare Saterland Frisian skaadich, skaddich (“shady”), German schattig (“shady”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??e?di/
• Rhymes: -e?di

Adjective

shady (comparative shadier, superlative shadiest)

1. Abounding in shades.
2. Causing shade.

   • The shady trees cover him with their shadow.

3. Overspread with shade; sheltered from the glare of light or sultry heat.
   • 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Building

     you may have rooms both for summer and winter; shady for summer, and warm for winter

4. (informal) Not trustworthy; disreputable.

   He is a shady character.

   • 2009: Stuart Heritage, Hecklerspray, Friday the 22^nd of May in 2009 at 1 o’clock p.m., “Jon & Kate Latest: People You Don’t Know Do Crap You Don’t Care About”

     Jon & Kate Plus 8 is a show based on two facts: 1) Jon and Kate Gosselin have eight children, and 2) the word ‘Kate’ rhymes with the word ‘eight’. One suspects that if Kate were ever to have another child, a shady network executive would urge her to put it in a binbag with a brick and drop it down a well. But this is just a horrifying tangent.

5. (Britain, slang) Mean, cruel.

   Don't be shady, give us a go.

Synonyms

• (not trustworthy): corrupt, dodgy, dubious, equivocal, seedy, sketchy, suspicious

Translations

Anagrams

• dashy