聪明的，机灵的　able to learn, understand or do sth quickly and well

　～ horse　擅长跳越障碍物的马
　～ speech　机敏的谈话
　～ about　精于干…
　～ at making model planes　擅长制作飞机模型
　～ at painting　擅长绘画
　～ at the subject　擅长于这个课题
　～ in making excuses　很会找借口
　～ in reply　回答巧妙
　～ with fingers　双手灵活
　～ with one's pen　擅长写作
　～ with the needle　善于做针线活

　She is a very clever girl; she will do well in life.　她是个非常聪明的女孩，日后会成功的。
　John is as clever a boy as you wish to meet.　约翰是一个你想见到的最聪明的男孩。
　The clever fox escaped the hunter.　聪明的狐狸逃脱了猎人的追踪。
　That's a clever idea.　真是一个巧主意。
　Jim is a clever worker.　吉姆是一名灵巧的工人。

　He is clever.　他很聪明。
　He was neither clever nor stupid, but good at his study.　他既不聪明也不愚蠢，但是学习倒挺好。
　His son was very clever and passed all his examinations at school.　他的儿子非常聪明，通过了学校的所有考试。
　He is more diligent than clever.　与其说他聪明，不如说他勤奋。
　The dog is very clever.　这只狗甚为聪明。
　He was too clever.　他太精明了。

　Tom was clever about such things.　汤姆干这类事挺精明。
　His body is clever like a monkey.　他的身体灵巧得像只猴子。
　John were clever to see the solution of the problem so quickly enough.　约翰可真是聪明，竟如此快地看出了解决问题的方法。
　He was clever to arrive at the answer in two minutes.　他很聪明，两分钟就把答案找到了。
　This veteran politician was clever enough to know how to make certain concession at an appropriate time.　这位老政客非常狡猾，知道如何在适当的时候作出一定的让步。

　It was clever of the boys to solve the problem so quickly.　孩子们那么快解决了问题真聪明。
　It will be clever of you to solve this problem.　能把这道题解出来，就算你聪明。
　It was clever of him to arrive at the answer in two minutes.　他很聪明，两分钟就把答案找到了。
　It is clever of him not to tell anybody about it.　这件事他没有告诉任何人是明智的。
　The clever are at the top of the class.　学生中的佼佼者在班级中名列前茅。

 ♣ clever at
　擅长　good at; expert in
　He was clever at arithmetic.　他在算术方面很聪明。
　He is clever at everything of this kind.　他擅长干这样的事。
　She is clever at household management.　她很会料理家务。
　Do you know the man who is clever at painting?　你认识那个擅长绘画的人吗?
 ♣ clever in
　善于　skilled in
　She is clever in reply.　她回答巧妙。
　My mother was so clever in social matters.　我母亲很会处理人际关系。
　He was rather clever in doing that.　他那么做很聪明。
　He is clever in making excuses.　他很会找借口。
 ♣ clever with
　擅长使用　good at sth with sth
　George is clever with his pen.　乔治善于写文章。
　She is clever with the needle.　她很会做针线活。
　He's clever with his hands.　他的双手灵巧。
　She is clever with her fingers.　她的手很巧。
　Tom used to be clever with handling a craft.　汤姆擅长手工工艺。

 ♣ clever at, clever with
　clever at　的意思是“擅长”，指擅长某项活动，擅长某学科；clever with的意思是“善于使用”，可接工具、器械等名词。例如：
　He is clever at translation.　他擅长翻译。
　He is clever with spade.　他擅长使用铁铲。
 ♣ clever, bright, intelligent, shrewd, smart, wise
　参见bright条。
 ♣ clever, expert, ingenious, proficient, skilled
　参见ingenious条。
 ♣ 下面两个句子的意思不同：

　你这样解释是很聪明的。
　［误］ It was clever for you to put it this way.
　［误］ It was clever in you to put it this way.
　［正］ It was clever of you to put it this way.
　［析］ 动词不定式的逻辑主语常用"for短语”构成，但在一些说明主语特性的形容词后却要用"of短语”， clever就是其中之一。

1. be being clever的语义是：有意做出某种样子。例如：
　He is being clever.　他在卖弄聪明（并非他很聪明）。类似的说法又如：He is being silly.他在装傻（并非他很傻）。
　He is being friendly.　他做出友好的举动（并非他很友好）。
2. 一般说， clever的比较级是cleverer，但下列情况下须用more clever的形式。
　①clever在句中用作表语，且跟有than从句。例如：
　She is more clever than I thought.　她比我想象的聪明。
　②clever在the...， the...结构中。例如：
　The more old she is, the more clever she becomes.　她越老越聪明。
　③clever在“与其说…，不如说…”结构中。例如：
　He is more clever than bold.　与其说他勇敢，不如说他聪明。

　［同义词］ able, apt, brainy, bright, cunning, expert, gifted, knowledgeable, quick, sensible, sharp, smart, witty
　［反义词］ dense, dull, stupid, unaccomplished, witless
　［词源］　中古英语cliver（手爪）