deft

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He is deft, apt, sprightly, and always sincerely a man.

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Definitions (7)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. adjective Quick and skillful; adroit. See Synonyms at dexterous.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (4)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (1)

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Examples (50)

  • Then, it is not disagreeable to the lazy man to have a fisherman (especially when it is a good handy man like Hawkins) fussing about, and handling the nasty baits, and making himself generally useful, as the deft-handed and willing professional so well knows how to do when afloat. —  Lines in Pleasant Places Being the Aftermath of an Old Angler
  • For a novice Diantha was remarkably deft, her skill suggesting periods of anticipatory practise with her door locked and no eyes but her own to admire the effect During the progress of this rite, Persis in the adjoining room, looked at the clock, glanced at the window and then paced the floor, for once in her well-disciplined life too nervous to utilize the flying moments. —  Other People's Business The Romantic Career of the Practical Miss Dale
  • He is deft, apt, sprightly, and always sincerely a man. —  My Contemporaries In Fiction
  • "They're always funny, and they can't stand a crack Against all men," ventured Frances Sutherland with that instinctive, womanly tact, which whips recalcitrant talkers into line like a deft driver reining up kicking colts. —  Lords of the North
  • Then I knew the quarrel on the beach was at its height; and Louis Laplante was still foiling the Sioux's approach to Miriam's wigwam like a deft fencer Follow me, Little Fellow," I commanded. —  Lords of the North
 

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This word has been looked up 188 times.

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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

dexterous ·  skillful ·  agile ·  upward ·  supple ·  clever ·  playful ·  graceful ·  versatile ·  brisk ·  tactful ·  careful
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, gentle, humble, variant of dafte, foolish; see daft.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Middle English defte. daftc, simple, meek, from Anglo-Saxon ge-dæfte, meek (cf. Dutch deftig = Middle Low German deftich, Low German deftig (later G. deftig), grave, respectable), from dæftan, ge-dæftan, prepare, put in order, make fit, a secondary causal verb connected with dafenlīc, ge-dafenlīc, also simply ge-dafen, becoming; ge-dēfe (= Gothic (Moesogothic) ga-dōbs), becoming, seemly, meek, etc.; from ge-dafan (in once-occurring past participle ge-dafen before mentioned) = Gothic (Moesogothic) ga-daban, befit, behoove. See daft, a variant of deft, in deflected sense.
 

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/dɛft/
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