Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.adroitness, dexterity; hence, in malam partem, craft, cunning (as a single act, while astutia designates cunning as a habit; until the post-Aug. period found only in the abl., astu, as an adv.; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 5 Müll., and Prisc. p. 1012 P.): “Satin astu et fallendo callet?” Att. Trag. Rel. p. 197 Rib.: “Nisi ut astu ingenium linguā laudem et dictis lactem lenibus,” id. ib. p. 189: “nam doli non doli sunt, nisi astu colas,” Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 30: “Sed ut astu sum adgressus ad eas!” id. Poen. 5, 4, 53; id. Trin. 4, 2, 123; id. Ep. 4, 1, 19; id. Poen. prol. 111: “astu providere,” Ter. And. 1, 3, 3: “astu rem tractare,” id. Eun. 5, 4, 2: “Consilio versare dolos ingressus et astu, Incipit haec,” Verg. A. 11, 704: “ille astu subit,” id. ib. 10, 522: aliquem astu adgredi, Tac. A. 2, 64: “astus belli,” Sil. 16, 32: “libertae,” Tac. A. 14, 2: “oratio, quae astu caret, pondero modo et inpulsu proeliatur,” Quint. 9, 1, 20.—In plur.: “astus hostium in perniciem ipsis vertebat,” Tac. A. 2, 20: “praeveniens inimicorum astus,” id. ib. 6, 44; 12, 45; Petr. 97: “Ulixes nectit pectore astus callidos,” Sen. Troad. 527: “nunc advoca astus, anime, nunc fraudes, dolos,” id. ib. 618: “ad insidiarum astus,” Gell. 11, 18, 17.