a. [ad. L. versūt-us, f. vers-, vertĕre to turn.] Cunning, crafty, wily.
1616. J. Lane, Contn. Sqr.’s T., IX. 15. Her artishe liers, wittie versute theeves. Ibid., 73. Ne bee out reachd at versute pollecie, or once out runn at hardie chivalrie.
1659. Gauden, Tears Ch., I. xiv. 132. A person of very supercilious gravity, also of versute and vertigenous policy.
1790. Paley, Horæ Paul., i. 6. The second, which is a more versute and specious forgery.
Hence Versutely adv.; Versuteness.
Also Versutiloquent, ‘a crafty talker, one using words craftily’ (Blount, Glossogr., 1656), and Versutiloquous, ‘talking cunningly or craftily’ (Bailey, vol. II., 1727): both after L. versūtiloquus.
1616. J. Lane, Contn. Sqr.’s T., X. 128. Now guiltie Horbell, Leifurcke, Gnartolite, castinge on chaunge, the lipp versutlie bite.
1685. H. More, Cursory Refl. Baxter, 29. That he may become really sensible and ashamed of his present Crooked Versuteness and Hypocrisie.
1710. R. Ward, Life H. More, 81. Some Neatness of Stile, Versuteness of Temper, and Hypocrisie in Religion.
1854. Freeman’s Jrnl., 29 Nov., 2/6. The skilful in diplomatic versuteness say that the object of Lord Palmerston’s late Parisian visit, inter alia, was to recommend the revival of the points as a basis for peace.
1857. Maurice, Mor. & Met. Philos., IV. vi. § 89. 286. An ingenious explanation of astuteness and versuteness.
