I.shrewd, sagacious, expert; or (more freq., cf. astutia) in mal. part., sly, cunning, artful, designing, etc. *
I. Ante-class. form astus , a, um: asta lingua, Att. ap. Non. p. 1, 54.—
II. Class. form astūtus : “malus, callidus, astutus admodum,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 112: “Causam dicere adversus astutos, audacīs viros, valentes virgatores,” id. As. 3, 2, 19: “non tam astutus, neque ita perspicax,” Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 1: “verum ego numquam adeo astutus fui, Quin etc.,” id. Ad. 2, 2, 13: “ratio,” Cic. Verr. 1, 11 fin.: “nihil astutum,” id. Or. 19, 64: hoc celandi genus est hominis non aperti, non simplicis, non ingenui; “versuti potius, obscuri, astuti, fallacis,” id. Off. 3, 13, 57: “astuti Getae,” Prop. 5, 5, 44: “Parthorum astutae tela remissa fugae,” id. 4, 8, 54: “ut est astuta et ingeniosa sollertia,” Plin. 36, 26, 66, § 192, where Jan omits astuta et: “gens non astuta, nec callida,” Tac. G. 22 et saep.: “pro bene sano Ac non incauto fictum astutumque vocamus,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 62: “homo sagax et astutus,” Mart. 12, 88, 4: “Est vir astutus multorum eruditor,” Vulg. Eccli. 37, 21: “vulpes,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 186: “consilium,” Gell. 5, 10 al.—As subst. (eccl. Lat.): “Astutus omnia agit cum consilio,” Vulg. Prov. 13, 16; ib. Eccli. 18, 28.—Comp.: “fallacia astutior,” Plaut. Cas. 5, 1, 7: “si qui me astutiorem fingit (followed by callidius),” Cic. Fam. 3, 8, 6: “qui custodit increpationes, astutior fiet,” Vulg. Prov. 15, 5.—* Sup.: “astutissimus adversarius,” Aug. Serm. 17: astutissima calliditas, id. Civ. Dei, 21, 6.— Adv.: astūtē , craftily, cunningly: “astute comminisci aliquid,” Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 96: “docte atque astute captare,” id. Most. 5, 1, 21: “consulte, docte atque astute cavere,” id. Rud. 4, 7, 14: Astute, shrewdly done, Ter. And. 1, 2, 12: “astute labefactare aliquem,” id. Eun. 3, 3, 3: “satis astute adgredi aliquem,” id. Phorm. 5, 8, 75: “astute reticere aliquid,” Cic. ad Q. Fr. 1, 2, 1: astute nihil agere, Matius ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 28, 3.— Comp.: “astutius ponere aliquid,” Varr. L. L. 9, 1 Müll.—Sup.: “astutissime componere aliquid,” Gell. 18, 4: “astutissime excogitare,” Lact. 1, 22: astutissime fingi, Aug. Civ. Dei, 19, 5.
