Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) good-natured, well-disposed, amiable (often too well-disposed for one’s own good and thus applied to those whose intelligence is considered somewhat deficient).

1768		Boston Post-Boy 20 June n.p.: Young and Old, the Cross and Clever, / Join hands, and live so well togather.
1781		Witherspoon Druid in Works (1801) IV 185: He is a very clever man. She is quite a clever woman. [...] In these cases Americans generally mean by clever, only goodness of disposition, worthiness, integrity, without the least regard to capacity .
c.1790		New Flash Song [broadside ballad] It is a pity, they all did cry, / Such clever lads as they should die.
1793		Mass. Spy 26 May n.p.: The ladies vowed he was a clever fellow.
1809		Yankey in London 104: We apply it to personal grace, and call a trim, well-built young man, clever.
1823		‘A Provincial Dict. For The Conveniance Of Emigrants’ Mississippi Intelligencer 1 May in DN IV:i 47: clever, a. Goodnatured, silly, inoffensive.
1833		T. Hamilton Men and Manners in America I 233: The word clever [...] has here no connexion with talent, and simply means pleasant or amiable. Thus a good-natured blockhead in the American vernacular is a clever man.
1846		Thackeray Diary of C. Jeames de la Pluche in Works III (1898) 417: Macarty decribes him as a very clever gentleman (meaning tall).
1848		Boston Blade 10 June n.p.: No matter, Sykesee is pretty clever, and as my Mose likes him, I suppose I must.
1859		C. Mackay Life and Liberty in America 102: Clever means ‘amiable and courteous.’ A ‘clever’ captain is one who is friendly, attentive, and polite to his passengers. Among the recommendations sometimes advertised in the Mississippi and Ohio steamboats, is, that the captain and clerk are the ‘cleverest’ on the line, and for this reason agreeable to the ladies.
1867		W.L. Goss A Soldier’s Story 251: The next morning Adjutant Cheatham [...] gave me from his wardrobe a shirt, &c., which I considered very clever in one who had so poor a supply himself.
1878		R.T. Cooke Happy Dodd Ch. xxvii: You’re as clever as a robin. I guess you’ve done me more good than the minister and meetin’ together.
1904		J.W. Carr ‘Words from Northwest Arkansas’ in DN II:vi 417: clever, adj. Good-natured, accommodating.
1913		F.E. Shapleigh ‘Word-List From Maine’ in DN IV:i 55: clever, adj. Easily managed; docile [...] ‘Oxen must be pretty clever to be bossed around the way they are.’.
1915		L.R. Dingus ‘A Word-List From Virginia’ in DN IV:iii 182: clever, adj. Generous.

2. skilful, adroit.

1809		Yankey in London 104: Where we apply it to personal grace, and call a trim, well-built young man, clever [...] they use it to signify skilful, adroit; and the man who breaks a dwelling-house, a prison, or a neck, is clever.
1827		P. Cunningham New South Wales II 258: A clever fellow is a bang-up, bold, thorough-going knave, an able ‘actor of all work’.
1887		World (N.Y.) 8 June 6/5: The Metropolitans’ work at the bat was decidedly clever, and they seemed to be able to hit Foutz’ delivery just at the time when a hit was required.
1938		X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 291: I’d like to have Mister McLash to help me [...] He’s clever with tools.
1953		K. Tennant Joyful Condemned 284: There’s his brother Clarrie spanking about in that taxi of his and acting clever.
1975		‘P.B. Yuill’ Hazell and the Three-card Trick (1977) 57: At this stage, the dealer doesn’t look too clever and everybody in the crowd knows which card is the queen.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 2: This point dont help ease the panic on Duanes face nor make his usually clever hands any cleverer.
2002		J. Cameron Hell on Hoe Street 5: ‘Speak English bad,’ he goes [...] ‘My Urdu ain’t none too bleedin’ clever neither.’.

3. in good health, in order, working well, etc; thus not too clever, a general negative response to ‘how are you?’.

1815		Mass. Spy 14 June n.p.: I somehow did not feel quite clever, but hoped for the best.
1926		L. Esson Bride of Gospel Place 80: Lily: I’m not feeling too clever (coughs) .
1938		Press (Canterbury) 2 Apr. 18: He might [...] be told that his acquaintance, somewhat indisposed, did not ‘feel too clever’.
1940		H. Drake-Brockman Hot Gold I ii: Don called over [...] Said you weren’t feeling too clever.
1955		D. Niland Shiralee 167: I’m not too clever on the spelling.
1959		D. Niland Big Smoke 183: ‘How’s your mother? Any better?’ ‘Not too clever, but she’ll be right.’.
1975		‘P.B. Yuill’ Hazell and the Three-card Trick (1977) 64: When they came out it was after four and the light ass none too clever.
1986		C. Bowles G’DAY 88: Shane is not feeling too clever when he wakes up. He has a mouth like an abo’s armpit.
1989		(con. 1950s–60s) in G. Tremlett Little Legs 7: The paving stones are none too clever.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 154: First time I notice she dont move round too clever. Limp about as she prepare a meal.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 48: clever In good health or mood, usually in negative not too clever ANZ mid C19.
2011		J.J. Connolly Viva La Madness 378: But to be honest, I ain’t all that clever...Come as a shock.
2018		G. Gilmore Base Nature [ebook] ‘[Y]ou don’t look too clever right now’.

4. fashionable.

1830		Egan Finish to the Adventures of Tom and Jerry (1889) 173: His togs were tight and clever.
1872		E. Perkins Saratoga in 1901 207: It was a ‘clever’ dialogue between a young Englishman [...] and a young Fifth-avenue belle.
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 29/1: clever gear smart clothes; sometimes slightly derisive observation; eg ‘I see you’ve got the clever gear on tonight. Got a new sheila lined up, have ya, Tonksy?’.
1998		Eble Campus Sl. Nov. 2: clever – odd, unusual, usually negative: ‘That girl’s outfit is quite clever!’.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].

5. cunning, duplicitous.

1851		‘Epistle from Joe Muggins’s Dog’ in Era (London) 13 Apr. 4/4: Nevver minde, he's kern klevver this tine, but I manetane it warnt respektable behaveer of a man with a handel to hiz name, and makes one long for a republick.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 14 Feb. 14/4: ‘Wait till you see him “scratching,”’ remarked, on the way up, an alderman belonging to the ‘clever’ party, thereby inferring that Clifford had been on the fox during his training; and now that we saw him ‘scratch,’ we liked him less than ever.
1975		‘P.B. Yuill’ Hazell and the Three-card Trick (1977) 165: This time I won’t try nuffin clever, on my sacred —.
2001		Indep. on Sun. Sunday Rev. 9 Dec. 14/3: If you were sitting here being clever with me, you might end up with a punch.

6. aware of a crime (subsequent to receiving information).

1869

Sportsman (London) 28 Aug. 2/1: Notes on News [...] The police and their worthy epics are again doing noble work. They cannot go to Wych-street and tell the wretched dealer in unquestionable books and prints that the trade is unlawful; it is required first that an informer be engaged and an inspector made ‘clever’.

7. (US gay) good-looking, charming.

1972

B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 47: clever 1. handsome, charming, bewitching.