Foxy means clever and cunning, like a fox outsmarting its prey. When someone uses foxy tactics, they're being shrewd and strategic, often in a slightly sneaky way. A foxy chess player might set a trap that looks like a mistake but actually leads to checkmate three moves later.

The word comes from the fox's reputation for intelligence and craftiness in folklore and fables. In Aesop's famous story, the fox who can't reach the grapes calls them sour anyway: a foxy way to save face. Foxes in nature really are clever hunters who use strategy, patience, and deception to catch their food.

In older usage, especially in the mid-1900s, foxy also meant physically attractive or stylish, though you'll hear this less often today. Someone might compliment a vintage car by calling it foxy, meaning it looks sharp and appealing.

When you call someone foxy, pay attention to context. It can be a compliment about their cleverness, or it might suggest they're a bit too tricky for their own good. A foxy solution to a problem shows creative thinking, but a foxy scheme to avoid chores might just get you in trouble.