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clever a Cp EDD ~ adj for most senses.
1
Of persons, esp men, and beasts, large, fine, handsome in appearance.
[1845] 1927 DOYLE (ed) 25 "The John Martin": Good luck to Skipper
Nick Ash for he is a clever man. 1863 MORETON 32 ~ Large, stout. A 'clever man' is a
large strong man. So is a baby [or] a cow, 1895 J A Folklore viii, 34 In
Newfoundland [clever] means large and handsome. It is applied not only to men but to
animals. [1900 OLIVER & BURKE] 36 "Lines on the Sad Drownings": And hear of two fine,
clever young men, / [Were] lost in Witless Bay. 1924 ENGLAND 143 Standin' dere on de
ship's brudge, sit, barehanded an' in a green split-tail coat. Ah, what a clever lookin'
man he was, too! T 222-66 A clever woman is a handsome woman. She might be a complete
dimwit, but if she is good-looking she is said to be a clever woman. 1974 Evening
Telegram 23 Mar, p. 3 The people in Barbados are, compared to us, remarkably
handsome... They are smartly dressed... Especially clever looking are the long lines of
children going and coming to school in perfectly neat uniforms after the English fashion.
2 Well; in good health.
1937 DEVINE
14 'How's you mother?' 'Oh, she's clever.' 1975 GUY 64 We didn't use the word
'clever' to mean smart. But on second thought, we did... We would say, 'My, what a clever
baby'. . meaning ... that the baby was healthy looking.
3
Of inanimate objects, neatly or well designed, shaped or built.
1863 MORETON 32 A house, a boat [or anything inanimate] is called
clever. 1895 J A Folklore viii, 34 A fisherman will speak of a 'clever-built
boat,' meaning that it is large and shapely. 1907 DUNCAN 143 'Twas a brave prospect.
Beyond the tickle in a gale o' wind! 'Twas irresistible—to be accomplished with the
fool of Twist Tickle and his clever punt. T 69-64 Had you been here last year you'd seed
our old school-house. Clever big house, I suppose 'twas sixty or seventy feet long. T
141/59-652 We had a clever camp there, and there was only four of us into un,
two more bunks left. 1971 CASEY 176 The L. and M. Rudolph, a vessel staunch and
clever seaboat too, / Her skipper's name was Blackwood and he composed her crew. 1972
Evening Telegram 18 May, p. 3 When I was small our house had a clever latch on the
door. It was made of wood and you could lift it up on the outside.
4 Successful; large (in amount or quantity).
[1894-1929] 1960 BURKE (ed White) 16 "Brave Colloway": The best of
seals the ships brought in, / And clever bills laid down, / A year to be remembered When
the strike was in the town.
5 Of weather, fine, pleasant;
CIVIL.
1962 Nfld Fisheries Conf 206 As I look out the
window here I see a very nice clever day.
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