furtive

comparative more furtive · superlative most furtive

1. Of a thing: done with evasive or guilty secrecy.

   [T]ender cares and mild domestic Loves, / With furtive watch, pursue her [a swan] as she moves; […]

   1787–1789, William Wordsworth, “An Evening Walk, Addressed to a Young Lady”, in Henry [Hope] Reed, editor, The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, Philadelphia, Pa.: Hayes & Zell, […], published 1860, →OCLC, page 27, column 2

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   […] The Defendant never vvas acknovvledged by the Sieur Harrouard’s Family, nor by that of his VVife. Thus, granting him to have been in Poſſeſſion of his Son’s Eſtate, it vvould only be a furtive and clandeſtine, not a public and avovved Poſſeſſion; and conſequently ſuch a Poſſeſſion as is incapable of founding a juſt and legal Title.

   1744, [François Gayot de Pitaval], “The History of Charles-Francis Harrouard, whom His Father and Mother Disowned to be Their Son”, in [anonymous], transl., A Select Collection of Singular and Interesting Histories. […], volume II, London: […] [A]ndrew Millar, […], →OCLC, page 280

   I noticed the same singular, and as it were, furtive glance over the shoulder that had attracted my attention in the Cassino.

   1824, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “The Adventure of the Mysterious Stranger”, in Tales of a Traveller, part 1 (Strange Stories. […]), Philadelphia, Pa.: H[enry] C[harles] Carey & I[saac] Lea, […], →OCLC, page 95

   The proprietor of the house cowered over a bed-candle and a furtive tea-pot in the back drawing-room.

   1855, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “An Old Friend”, in The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume II, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC, page 128

   "Don't call me Solomon. Do you want to be the death of me?" asked the man, in a furtive, frightened way.

   1859, Charles Dickens, “A Hand at Cards”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book III (The Track of a Storm), page 198

   At the edge of my kingdom scurry / ⁠Creatures in feathers and furs— / Crows in a furtive hurry— / ⁠Hungry and cringing curs— […]

   1902, [Alice Macdonald Fleming], “In Camp”, in [Alice Kipling; Alice Macdonald Fleming], Hand in Hand: Verses by a Mother and Daughter, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews […]; New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, →OCLC, page 71

   Synonyms: clandestine, surreptitious, abstruse, behind the scenes, catlike, backroom, backstairs, stealth

2. Of a thing: that has been acquired by theft; stolen; also (generally) taken stealthily.

   Novv ſhine theſe Planets vvith ſubſtantial Rays? / Does innate Luſtre gild their meaſur'd Days? / Or do they (as your Schemes, I think, have ſhovvn) / Dart furtive Beams, and Glory not their ovvn, / All Servants to that Source of Light, the Sun?

   1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, book I (Knowledge), page 415

3. Of a person or an animal: sly, stealthy.

   Gluttonous, hoarding jay; he should have hedge-hopped and lurched from tree to tree in his usual furtive manner.

   1967, J[ohn] A[lec] Baker, “[The Peregrine] The Hunting Life”, in John Fanshawe, editor, The Peregrine, The Hill of Summer & Diaries: The Complete Works of J. A. Baker, London: Collins, published 2011, →ISBN, page 48

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   All women have their foibles. Wise husbands must bear and forbear. Is that all? wherefore, then, is her aspect so furtive, wherefore on his a wild, vigilant sternness?

   1857, Pisistratus Caxton [pseudonym; Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter V, in What will He Do with It? (Collection of British Authors; CCCCXL), Tauchnitz edition, volume III, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, →OCLC, book VI, page 159

   So, Riderhood looking after him as he went, and he with his furtive hand laid upon the dagger as he passed it, and his eyes upon the boat, were much upon a par.

   1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, “Setting Traps”, in Our Mutual Friend. […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC, 4th book (A Turning), page 165

   Synonyms: thieflike, thievish

4. Of a person, etc.: inclined to steal; pilfering, thieving.

   Synonyms: thievish