كَنَيْتُ بِكَذَا عَنْ كَذَا
I expressed one matter indirectly through another expression.
In its linguistic use, kināyah denotes expressing an intended matter indirectly rather than mentioning it explicitly. The source records both the verbal forms kanaytu and kanawtu. The preposition ʿan indicates the matter whose direct mention is avoided.
This usage shows that kināyah is not merely substituting a different word. A specific intended meaning is communicated through an expression that makes it accessible to a listener. The technical definition adds conditions concerning the relation and the possibility of literal intention.