Meaning of cleverality | Babel Free

Definitions

cleverness

Ireland, uncountable

Examples

“I protest⟳, it is to me the most difficult of things to write⟳ to one of your female - geniuses — there is a certain degree of cleverality (if I may so call⟳ it), an easy kind of derangement of periods, a gentleman-like — fashionable - careless — see-saw of dialogue — which I know⟳ no more of than you do of cruelty.”

“But the time wearing late, and Tammie Bodkin having brought ben the shop-key, after putting on the window-shutters, Nanse and I, out of goodfellowship, thought we could not do less than ask⟳ the honest man, whose cleverality had diverted us so much, to sit⟳ still and take⟳ a chack of supper;”

“There there dwelt a robber, much at his ease, because he had with him the only boat on the Loch: so that when he had robbed a passing traveller or party he had only to slide⟳ away in his boat to his Mand, where he could enjoy⟳ the spoil⟳ at his leisure, though an army should be raging for his apprehension on the shore. But we all, know⟳ what became of the man who was too clever: he perished of spontaneous combustion, consumed by his own⟳ excessive cleverality.”

“"That," said Professor Denis Donoghue, "is what in Ireland is called 'cleverality.'" We had been talking of a contemporary American poet whom I admired for ironic and dazzling wit.”

“The cleverality did not end⟳ there as McCreevy decided to borrow some of the old clothes from Tony Blair's spin⟳ machine”

CEFR level