1. To cooperate secretly in an illegal or wrongful action; to collude; to conspire: The dealers connived with customs officials to bring narcotics across the border from Mexico.
2. To avoid noticing something wrong; to give aid to wrongdoing by not telling about it or by secretly helping it take place: The new mayor of the town was absolutely straightforward and honest and didn’t connive at all like his predecessor with illegal activities.
3. To feign ignorance of or fail to take measures against a wrong; therefore, implying tacit encouragement or consent: A prison guard connived in aiding a prisoner's escape and he was later suspended from his position.
4. To avoid noticing something that one is expected to oppose or to condemn; to give aid to wrongdoing by not acting or speaking out about an illegal act: Although Jack had seen that his friend had hit another student, he connived by not telling the teacher what had happened.
5. To indulge to do something others oppose or criticize: June said her fellow workers connived to defeat the proposal that their company should increase the prices of their products.
6. To pretend ignorance of or failing to take action against something someone ought to have opposed: Cathy connived to stop the appointment of the new supervisor although all of her colleagues were giving their support to have him.
7. To indulge in or be involved in secret sympathy, to wink at, to cooperate with secretly, or to have a secret understanding: The two sisters connived to watch a TV program late at night after their parents had gone to bed!
8. Etymology: from Latin conivere, "to wink"; from com-, "together" + basic element nictare, "to wink". Hence, "to wink at (a crime), to be secretly knowledgeable". © ALL rights are reserved.

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