- deft
- adjective Etymology: Middle English defte gentle — more at daft Date: 15th century characterized by facility and skill Synonyms: see dexterous • deftly adverb • deftness noun
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
deft
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deft — [ deft ] adjective deft movements are made quickly and with skill a. moving quickly and with skill: a deft yachtswoman deft at doing something: a chef who is extremely deft at producing original dishes ╾ deft|ly adverb … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
deft — (d[e^]ft), a. [OE. daft, deft, becoming, mild, gentle, stupid (cf. OE. daffe, deffe, fool, coward), AS. d[ae]ft (in derivatives only) mild, gentle, fitting, seasonable; akin to dafen, gedafen, becoming, fit, Goth. gadaban to be fit. Cf. {Daft},… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
deft — [deft] adj written [Date: 1200 1300; Origin: daft] 1.) a deft movement is skilful, and often quick ▪ He sketched her with quick, deft strokes. ▪ deft footwork 2.) skilful at doing something ▪ his deft chairmanship of the company >deftly adv… … Dictionary of contemporary English
deft´ly — deft «dehft», adjective. quick and skillful in action; nimble; clever: »The fingers of a violinist or surgeon must be deft. ... one of the deftest juggling performances since the late W. C. Fields laid aside his Indian clubs (Time). SYNONYM(S):… … Useful english dictionary
deft. — «dehft», adjective. quick and skillful in action; nimble; clever: »The fingers of a violinist or surgeon must be deft. ... one of the deftest juggling performances since the late W. C. Fields laid aside his Indian clubs (Time). SYNONYM(S): See… … Useful english dictionary
deft — deft·ly; deft·ness; deft; … English syllables
deft — [deft] adj. [ME defte, dafte: see DAFT] skillful in a quick, sure, and easy way; dexterous SYN. DEXTEROUS deftly adv. deftness n … English World dictionary
deft — I adjective able, accomplished, adept, adroit, agile, apt, canny, capable, clever, competent, cunning, dexterous, efficient, expert, facile, flexible, gifted, good at, handy, ingenious, light, masterful, masterly, nimble, nimble fingered,… … Law dictionary
deft — (adj.) O.E. gedæfte mild, gentle, differentiated in Middle English into DAFT (Cf. daft) (q.v.) and this word, via sense of apt, skillful, adept. Cognate with Goth. gadaban to be fit, O.N. dafna to grow strong, Du. deftig important, relevant … Etymology dictionary
deft — adj. adept, skillful; dexterous, agile, nimble … English contemporary dictionary
deft — *dexterous, adroit, handy Analogous words: nimble, *agile, brisk: *quick, ready, apt, prompt: skillful, skilled, adept, *proficient: sure, assured, *confidçnt Antonyms: awkward Contrasted words: clumsy, maladroit, inept, gauche (see … New Dictionary of Synonyms
