Someone who is cunning but depicts themselves as innocent to others

Question

What can you call a person who is cunning but depicts themselves as innocent to others?

Hi Dheeraj. Please provide information on how and where are you planning to use this word. — Tushar Raj, May 27 '15 at 14:10
I would say that "depicts themselves as innocent to others" is almost inherent in the meaning of "cunning". — Nate Eldredge, May 27 '15 at 22:03
Duplicate but I can't vote to close because no one else has suggested this, and currently there are four VTC. Duplicates (take your pick) 1. What is an idiom/slang for “someone who pretends to be good when they're not”? 2. What is a word that means “someone who pretends to be your friend but is actually your enemy?” — Mari-Lou A, May 28 '15 at 08:22

score 13 · Answer 1 · answered May 28 '15 at 01:14

13

I've always called this by the old phrase

A wolf in sheep's clothing

answered May 28 '15 at 01:14

Robusto

151,571

score 10 · Answer 2 · answered May 27 '15 at 12:34

10

snake in the grass (dictionary.com)

snake in the grass (noun) 1. a treacherous person, especially one who feigns friendship.

answered May 27 '15 at 12:34

Hugh

8,360

While this is accurate, it doesn't seem to be in general use (at least, not in the USA). – Xynariz May 27 '15 at 21:21
1

Listen to "Don't Bring Me Down" by ELO. Not quite "current" but not "ancient" eiher. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/electriclightorchestraelo/dontbringmedown.html – Jon Watte May 28 '15 at 03:34

score 7 · Answer 3 · answered May 27 '15 at 12:37

7

Although many possibilities exist, I prefer using "devious" for this type of behaviour.

MW reference

devious
: willing to lie and trick people in order to get what is wanted
: not straight or direct
: having many twists and turns

answered May 27 '15 at 12:37

Flater

7,767

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered May 27 '15 at 15:08

7

"Two-faced" is a common expression that is readily understood by most.

answered May 27 '15 at 15:08

Oldbag

13,256

score 5 · Answer 5 · edited May 27 '15 at 21:39

5

sly

Defined at Oxford Dictionaries Online:

adjective having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.

"she had a sly personality" ... "sly as a fox"

This definition contains both the word cunning you were looking for and deceitful implying it fools others. So I think it would be a fitting choice.

edited May 27 '15 at 21:39

Edwin Ashworth

83,272

answered May 27 '15 at 20:19

DasBeasto

259

jxh · Answer 6 · 2015-05-27T17:11:54.507

You may refer to a person who practices sandbagging as a sandbagger. As indicated by the emphasized portion of the definition below, it speaks specifically to acting innocent.

A person who pads a handicap or acts as if he/she is at a lower skill level than he/she actually is so he/she can achieve better during competition that's handicapped or by skill level.
_{The Urban Dictionary}

One of the verb definitions of sandbag is:

: to hide your true abilities or purpose in order to deceive people, gain an advantage, etc.
_{Merriam-Webster}

Sandbagging is a poker tactic, and is also known as slow playing or trapping. But, as seen in the definitions above, it can be used beyond the context of poker.

Slow playing (also called sandbagging or trapping) is deceptive play in poker that is roughly the opposite of bluffing: betting weakly or passively with a strong holding rather than betting aggressively with a weak one.
_Wikipedia

I like to think the term derived from a sandbag looking like a pillow.

enter image description here _Wikipedia

But, alas, that is not reality. The term came from ruffians who literally took bags of sand and hit people with them. When the term was applied to poker, it was meant to denigrate a slow player, but instead it came to be a synonym for the tactic itself.^Etymonline

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered May 27 '15 at 21:51

2

A shark. As in, a pool shark is one who pretends to be a novice in order to trick others in to placing bets at which time the shark runs the table and takes their money.

answered May 27 '15 at 21:51

Ronnie Royston

868

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered May 28 '15 at 08:12

A fox. As in the way the Lord Jesus used the term in the gospel of Luke, chapter 13 verses 31 to 33, about 2000 years ago.

The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

Someone who is cunning but depicts themselves as innocent to others

8 Answers8

Linked