liškou podšitý

From liška (“fox”) + podšitý (“lined”). In the past animal fur used to be sometimes sown inside coats. At the same time there was a prejudice that some animal characteristics can be transferred to people by touching them. People wearing coats with lined fox fur were expected to have acquired characteristics like cunningness or slyness.[1] Compare Polish tchórzem podszyty.

• IPA^(key): /ˈliʃkou̯ ˈpotʃɪtiː/

liškou podšitý

1. (idiomatic) sly as a fox
   • 1888, Josef Kajetán Tyl, Alchemista‎:

     „Tys chytrák liškou podšitý!“ odpověděl radní pán, „a rád bysi zákony nadešel, nežli tě samy k soudu popoženou […]“.

     "You are a cunning person, sly as a fox!" answered the town councillor, "and you would like to get round the laws before you get to court because of them […]"

• liška podšitá
• čertem podšitý

• (sly): podšitý, lišácký, mazaný, mazaný jako liška, všemi mastmi mazaný, vychytralý, chytrácký, lstivý, protřelý, prohnaný