dexterity

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He will outwit you, but his dexterity is a giant's--a simple evolution rapidly performed: and nothing so much perplexes pygmies!

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Definitions (8)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun Skill and grace in physical movement, especially in the use of the hands; adroitness.
  2. noun Mental skill or adroitness; cleverness.

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)

  • They climb and crawl with great dexterity, and some will run when on the ground; but it is difficult for most of them to move on a smooth, horizontal surface, and they drag themselves along by their thumbs. —  Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals
  • "Cleverness of the right hand--dexterity. —  Quicksilver The Boy With No Skid To His Wheel
  • The boats came back loaded down almost to the gunwale; but they were managed with wonderful dexterity, and as soon as they were made fast alongside, the men sprang aboard and their cargoes were rapidly transferred to the hold, which seemed to swallow up an enormous quantity of the contraband goods. —  Cormorant Crag A Tale of the Smuggling Days
  • The Popish Church never fails to turn to account any particular gift which its servants may possess; and discovering soon that Murtagh was endowed with considerable manual dexterity--proof of which he frequently gave at cards, and at a singular game which he occasionally played with thimbles--it selected him as a very fit person to play the part of exorcist; and accordingly he travelled through a great part of Ireland, casting out devils from people possessed, which he afterwards exhibited, sometimes in the shape of rabbits, and occasionally birds and fish. —  The Romany Rye a sequel to "Lavengro"
  • I have never thought of a shepherdess since with pleasure I could not help observing the ease, dexterity, and swiftness, with which a single man conveyed all our luggage, which was very heavy, to the custom-house, and afterwards to the inn, in a wheelbarrow, which differed from ours, only in being larger, and having two elastic handles of about nine feet long. —  The Stranger in France or, a Tour from Devonshire to Paris Illustrated by Engravings in Aqua Tint of Sketches Taken on the Spot.
 

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

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

quickness ·  tact ·  agility ·  ingenuity ·  perseverance ·  bravery ·  adroitness ·  boldness ·  shrewdness ·  vigor ·  tenacity ·  celerity
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. French dextérité, from Latin dexteritās, from dexter, skillful; see dexter.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. = French dextérité = Portuguese dexteridade = Italian desterità from Latin dexterita(t-)s, from dexter, right, right-hand: see dexter.
 

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/dɛksˈtɛrəti/
by American Heritage

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