n. [ Cf. F. connivence, L. conniventia. ] 1. Intentional failure or forbearance to discover a fault or wrongdoing; voluntary oversight; passive consent or cooperation. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) Corrupt or guilty assent to wrongdoing, not involving actual participation in, but knowledge of, and failure to prevent or oppose it.

Syn. -- See Collusion. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Connived p. pr. & vb. n. Conniving. ] [ L. connivere to shut the eyes, connive, fr. con- + (perh.) a word akin to nicere to beckon, nictare to wink. ] 1. To open and close the eyes rapidly; to wink. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The artist is to teach them how to nod judiciously, and to connive with either eye. Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To close the eyes upon a fault; to wink (at); to fail or forbear by intention to discover an act; to permit a proceeding, as if not aware of it; -- usually followed by at. [ 1913 Webster ]

To connive at what it does not approve. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

In many of these, the directors were heartily concurring; in most of them, they were encouraging, and sometimes commanding; in all they were conniving. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

The government thought it expedient, occasionally, to connive at the violation of this rule. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To shut the eyes to; to overlook; to pretend not to see. [ R. & Obs. ] “Divorces were not connived only, but with eye open allowed.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Connivance. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. connivens, p. pr. ] 1. Forbearing to see; designedly inattentive; as, connivent justice. [ R. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) Brought close together; arched inward so that the points meet; converging; in close contact; as, the connivent petals of a flower, wings of an insect, or folds of membrane in the human system, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who connives. [ 1913 Webster ]