skill
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
to matter.
-
to help; avail.
noun
-
the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well.
Carpentry was one of his many skills.
- Synonyms:
- facility, proficiency
- Antonyms:
- inability
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competent excellence in performance; expertness; dexterity.
The dancers performed with skill.
- Synonyms:
- cleverness, deftness
-
a craft, trade, or job requiring manual dexterity or special training in which a person has competence and experience.
the skill of cabinetmaking.
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Obsolete. understanding; discernment.
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Obsolete. reason; cause.
noun
-
special ability in a task, sport, etc, esp ability acquired by training
-
something, esp a trade or technique, requiring special training or manual proficiency
-
obsolete understanding
Other Word Forms
- skill-less adjective
Etymology
Origin of skill1
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English skilien, from Old Norse skilja “to distinguish, divide,” akin to skil ( skill 1 ( def. ) ), Old English scylian “to separate,” Gothic skilja “butcher,” Lithuanian skélti “to split”
Origin of skill1
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Old Norse skil “distinction, difference”; cognate with Dutch geschil “difference, quarrel”; skill 2 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Despite her age, Ryabov said, Polina shows advanced skills with the pottery wheel and has a good feel for the right thickness and balance of clay.
The only way he could engage with his peers was through his skill for magic tricks.
From BBC
“Put them all together,” the junior said of his skill set.
The supremely gifted 22-year-old has sometimes left Guardiola frustrated after over-elaborating when a simple pass would be the better option, but he showcased his dazzling skill to great effect at the City Ground.
From Barron's
Nearly three-quarters of the state’s residents believe that immigrants benefit California “because of their hard work and job skills,” says the Public Policy Institute of California.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
