Outfoxes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Wins against someone by using greater cunning or clever tricks
2. Outsmarts an opponent through clever or deceptive means
3. Gains an advantage over another person by being more shrewd or crafty

Etymology: "Outfoxes" is the third-person singular form of "outfox," a verb meaning to outwit or get the better of someone through cunning. The verb is built from two parts: "out," which in this sense conveys surpassing or defeating, and "fox," the familiar name of the cunning animal. The fox has carried a reputation for craftiness since Old English, when the animal was already known by a word traceable to Proto-Germanic, so the verb simply turns that long-standing animal trait into an action. The pattern is a straightforward one in English. "Out" attached to a verb or noun produces a sense of doing something better than someone else, as in "outrun," "outlive," or "outsmart." Applying it to "fox" yields a verb that describes beating a rival with wit rather than strength, and the form "outfoxes" follows regular English conjugation, adding "-es" for the third-person singular present.

Synonyms: outsmart, outwit