Contriving ppl. a.

[f. as prec. + -ING².] That contrives; skilfully or artfully devising, scheming, inventive.

1

1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., I. ii. 189. Our contriuing Friends in Rome.

2

1691. Hartcliffe, Virtues, Pref. 15. Revenge is a busie and contriving Vice.

3

1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 233. A thousand uses suggest themselves to a contriving mind.

4

1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), II. xxxiv. Jobs that require both a nice hand and a contriving head.

5

Hence Contrivingly adv.

6

1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VI. 394. Wickedly and contrivingly, as my friends still think.

7