Connive
/kəˈnaɪv/noun
To secretly allow, encourage, or ignore something improper or illegal.
Did you know?Connive comes from Latin roots meaning “to wink together,” and in older usage it could imply a secret understanding so subtle it was almost like a silent pact.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
connīvēre
“to shut the eyes, wink; by extension, to pretend not to see”
Late Latin
Latin
connivāre
“to keep closing the eyes, to blink or wink repeatedly”
Old French
Old French
conniver
“to connive, to be secretly compliant or indulgent”
14th–15th Century
English
connive
“to close the eyes to something; to pretend ignorance of wrongdoing”
Modern English
English
connive
“to secretly allow or be involved in wrongdoing”