Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

callĭdus, a, um, adj. [calleo], that is taught wisdom by experience and practice, shrewd, expert, experienced, adroit, skilful: versutos eos appello, quorum celeriter mens versatur: callidos autem, quorum, tamquam manus opere, sic animus usu concalluit, Cic. N. D. 3, 10, 25.

  1. I. Ingenious, prudent, dexterous, skilful.
    1. A. In gen. (class.): ad suum quaestum, callidus, Plaut. As. 1, 3, 34; id. Truc. 2, 4, 62 (cf. id. ib. 2, 5, 40: omnes homines ad suum quaestum callent); id. Ps. 2, 4, 35; id. Ep. 3, 3, 47; id. Poen. 1, 2, 25: callida Musa, Calliope, * Lucr. 6, 93: ego ut agitator callidus, priusquam ad fidem veniam, equos sustinebo, Cic. Ac. 2, 29, 94: natura nihil potest esse callidius, id. N. D. 2, 57, 142: Demosthene nec gravior exstitit quisquam nec callidior, nec temperatior, id. Or. 7, 23: juvenis parum callidus, Plin. Ep. 7, 6, 11: in disputando, Quint. 12, 2, 14.
      In reference to art, excelling in art, skilful, Hor. S. 2, 3, 23 Heind.; 2, 7, 101; id. Ep. 1, 10, 26.
    2. B. Particular constructions.
          1. (α) With gen.: rei rusticae, Col. 2, 2, 1: rerum naturae, id. 7, 3, 12: rei militaris, Tac. H. 2, 32: temporum, id. A. 4, 33.
          2. (β) With abl.: juncturā callidus acri, Pers. 5, 14.
          3. (γ) In the Greek manner, with inf.: callidus Condere furto, Hor. C. 1, 10, 7; cf.: tuque testudo resonare septem Callida nervis, id. ib. 3, 11, 4; Pers. 1, 118.
    3. C. Meton., of things: foramina callidissimo artificio naturā fabricata, very well contrived or wrought, Cic. Tusc. 1, 20, 47: inventum, Nep. Eum. 5, 4: junctura, Hor. A. P. 47.
  2. II. Crafty, cunning, artful, sly.
    1. A. Of persons (class.): itaque me malum esse oportet, callidum, astutum, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 112: malum crudumque et callidum atque subdolum, id. Poen. 5, 2, 148; id. Pers. 4, 4, 70; id. Cist. 4, 2, 61: ego hominem callidiorem vidi neminem, Ter. Phorm. 4, 2, 1; id. And. 1, 2, 27; id. Eun. 5, 6, 10; Petr. 4, 2, 1: hi saepe versutos homines et callidos admirantes, malitiam sapientiam judicant, Cic. Off. 2, 3, 10 Beier; id. Caecin. 19, 55; cf. id. Off. 3, 13, 57; Quint. 6, 3, 96: homo luteus etiam callidus ac veterator esse vult, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 14, § 35: gens non astuta nec callida, Tac. G. 22: ad fraudem callidi, Cic. Clu. 65, 183; cf. Plaut. As. 2, 1, 9: in disputando mire callidos, Quint. 12, 2, 14: amici accendendis offensionibus callidi, Tac. A. 2, 57.
    2. B. Meton., of things: doli, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 4: consilium, Ter. And. 3, 4, 10: audacia, Cic. Clu. 65, 183: callida et malitiosa juris interpretatio, id. Off. 1, 10, 33: liberalitas, crafty, calculating, Nep. Att. 11, 3: malitia inimici, Liv. 38, 44, 1: cunctatio, Suet. Tib. 24: saevitia, id. Dom. 11.
      1. 2. Trop.: merx, of a woman, Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 61.
        Hence, adv.: callĭdē (in both signiff. of the adj. freq. and class.).
      1. 1. Skilfully, shrewdly, expertly, etc.: callide nosse aliquem, well, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 82: intellegere, Ter. And. 1, 2, 30: callide arguteque dicere, Cic. Or. 28, 98: dicere, id. de Or. 1, 20, 93: callide et perite versari, id. ib. 1, 11, 48: sine quo nihil satis caute, nihil satis callide agi posset, id. Caecin. 5, 15 al.
        Comp., Tac. A. 6, 37.
        Sup., Nep. Them. 1 fin.
      2. 2. Cunningly, craflily, etc.: callide et facete exordiri rem, Plaut. Pers. 4, 1, 7: accedere, Cic. Fl. 10, 22: occultare vitia sua, Sall. J. 15, 3: callide et cum astu confiteri aliquid, Gell. 12, 12, 1.