astūtus, a, um, adj. [a lengthened form of the ante-class. astus, like versutus from versus, cinctutus from cinctus; and astus itself has the form of a P. a., q. v. init.], 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. 874: verum ego numquam adeo astutus fui, Quin etc., id. Ad. 221: 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. 183: astute labefactare aliquem, id. Eun. 509: satis astute adgredi aliquem, id. Phorm. 968: 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.