verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -aɪv
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 N AY1 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To secretly cooperate with other people in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing; to collude, to conspire.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
Of parts of a plant: to be converging or in close contact; to be connivent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, rare
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
Often followed by at: to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame; to ignore or overlook a fault deliberately.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dissimulate, look the other way, shut one's eyes, turn a blind eye, wink
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To open and close the eyes rapidly; to wink.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: scheme, intrigue
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: plot
6
verb
Meaning 6
encourage or assent to illegally or criminally
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: assent, accede, acquiesce
History
Etymology
From French conniver (“to ignore and thus become complicit in wrongdoing”), or directly from its etymon Latin con(n)īvēre (“close or screw up the eyes, blink, wink; overlook, turn a blind eye, connive”) (perhaps alluding to two persons involved in a scheme together winking to each other), from con- (prefix indicating a being or bringing together of several objects) + *nīvēre (related to nictō (“to blink, wink”), from Proto-Indo-European *kneygwh- (“to bend, droop”)).
Across languages
Translations
36 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
تَسَتَّرَ
(tasattara)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Cebuano:
konsabo
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Chinese Mandarin:
縱令 /纵令
(zònglìng)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Chinese Mandarin:
縱容 /纵容
(zòngróng)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Czech:
spolčit se
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Czech:
být spolčený
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Finnish:
edesauttaa
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Finnish:
myötävaikuttaa
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Finnish:
olla osasyyllinen
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
French:
conspirer
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
French:
intriguer
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
German:
aushecken
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
German:
verschwören
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Greek:
συνωμοτώ
(synomotó)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Russian:
сгова́риваться
(sgovárivatʹsja)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Russian:
потака́ть
(potakátʹ)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Russian:
потво́рствовать
(potvórstvovatʹ)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Spanish:
confabular
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Spanish:
conspirar
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Swedish:
konspirera
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Thai:
เป็นใจ
(bpen-jai)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Ukrainian:
змовлятися
(zmovljatysja)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Ukrainian:
потурати
(poturaty)
— to secretly cooperate with another person or persons in order to commit a crime or other wrongdoing
Czech:
zavírat oči
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Czech:
mlčky schvalovat
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
French:
feindre l'ignorance
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
German:
sich dumm stellen
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Greek:
εθελοτυφλώ
(ethelotyfló)
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Latin:
cōnīveō
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Latin:
connīveō
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Old English:
ieldan
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Polish:
przymykać oko (na coś)
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Polish:
przymknąć oko (na coś)
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Spanish:
hacerse el leso
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Ukrainian:
закривати очі
(zakryvaty oči)
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
Ukrainian:
дивитися крізь пальці
(dyvytysja krizʹ palʹci)
— to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame
