Artful \Art"ful\, a. [From Art.]

1. Performed with, or characterized by, art or skill. [Archaic] ``Artful strains.'' ``Artful terms.'' --Milton.

2. Artificial; imitative. --Addison.

3. Using or exhibiting much art, skill, or contrivance; dexterous; skillful.

He [was] too artful a writer to set down events in exact historical order. --Dryden.

4. Cunning; disposed to cunning indirectness of dealing; crafty; as, an artful boy. [The usual sense.]

Artful in speech, in action, and in mind. --Pope.

The artful revenge of various animals. --Darwin.

Syn: Cunning; skillful; adroit; dexterous; crafty; tricky; deceitful; designing. See Cunning.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)