cagey, a. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
(ˈkeɪdʒɪ)
Also cagy.
[Etym. unknown.]
Not forthcoming, reticent, wary, non-committal. Hence ˈcagily adv. Also ˈcageyness, ˈcaginess, the state or quality of being cagey.
| 1909 Sat. Even. Post 1 May 5/3 See? He's cagey about going to 'em, but when a good medium gets him in front of her he swallows it all, lock, stock and barrel. 1922 Short Stories Feb. 158/2 The Battler was cagey and covered up for the greater part of the round. 1926 New Yorker 11 Sept. 36 The opinions of even the producing gentlemen's chauffeurs are being cagily sought. 1927 ‘J. Barbican’ Confessions of Rum-Runner xxiii. 259 We hoped they would come out and pick us off, but they were too cagey for that. 1948 Time 25 Oct. 23/1 The Yankee management had timed things cagily. 1950 A. Lunn Revolt against Reason x. 112 The caginess of a Darwinist when cross-examined on his claim. 1953 G. Heyer Detection Unlimited iii. 31 Aunt Miriam's always a bit cagy about it. What happened? 1955 Archit. Rev. CXVII. 278/3 This is not the first London retailer to eschew the conventions of ‘cageyness’—of answering questions in the form that they are put but never volunteering information. 1966 Listener 10 Nov. 681/2 My son is a cagey mathematician where rent, food, and expenses are concerned. |