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masterful

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.
mas·ter·ful  (mstr-fl)
adj.
1. Given to playing the master; imperious or domineering.
2. Fit to command.
3. Revealing mastery or skill; expert: a masterful technique; masterful moviemaking.

master·ful·ly adv.
master·ful·ness n.
Usage Note: According to a widely repeated dictum, masterful should be reserved for the sense "imperious, domineering" (as in a masterful tone of voice), whereas masterly should be the choice when the intended sense is "having the skill of a master" (as in a masterly performance of the sonata). The distinction can serve a useful purpose, but masterful in the latter sense has long been common in reputable writing and cannot be regarded as incorrect.

masterful [ˈmɑːstəfʊl]
adj
1. having or showing mastery
2. fond of playing the master; imperious
3. masterly
masterfully  adv
masterfulness  n
Usage: The use of masterful to mean masterly as in a masterful performance, although common, is considered incorrect by many people
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.masterfulmasterful - having or revealing supreme mastery or skill; "a consummate artist"; "consummate skill"; "a masterful speaker"; "masterful technique"; "a masterly performance of the sonata"; "a virtuoso performance"
skilled - having or showing or requiring special skill; "only the most skilled gymnasts make an Olympic team"; "a skilled surgeon has many years of training and experience"; "a skilled reconstruction of her damaged elbow"; "a skilled trade"

masterful
adjective
2. domineering, authoritative, dictatorial, bossy (informal), arrogant, imperious, overbearing, tyrannical, magisterial, despotic, high-handed, peremptory, overweening, self-willed Successful businesses need bold, masterful managers.
domineering weak, meek, spineless, irresolute, wussy (slang), wimpish or wimpy (informal)
Usage: In current usage there is a lot of overlap between the meanings of masterful and masterly. According to some, the first should only be used where there is a connotation of power and domination, the second where the connotations are of great skill. Nevertheless, as the Bank of English shows, the majority of uses of masterful these days relate to the second meaning, as in musically, it was a masterful display of the folk singer's art. Anyone wishing to observe the distinction would use only masterly in the context just given, and masterful in contexts such as: his need to be masterful with women was extreme; Alec was so masterful that he surprised himself.
Translations
masterful [ˈmɑːstəfʊl] ADJ
1. (= skilful) [performance] → magistral; [swordsman, horseman] → diestro; [leadership] → capaz
2. (= imperious) → imperioso, autoritario; [personality] → dominante
masterful [ˈmɑːstərfəl] adj
(= masterly) [performance, skill, book, film] → magistral(e)
[performer, player, writer] → magistral(e)
master key npasse-partout m inv
masterful
adjmeisterhaft; ball controlgekonnt; (= dominating) personalitygebieterisch; he’s got a masterful, yet polite attitudeer hat eine bestimmte, aber trotzdem höfliche Art; he said in a masterful tonesagte er in bestimmtem Ton; we were amazed at his masterful control of the meetingwir staunten darüber, wie überlegen or souverän er die Sitzung in der Hand hatte
masterful [ˈmɑːstəfʊl] adj (imperious) → imperioso/a; (authoritative) → magistrale
masterful [ˈmɑːstəfʊl] adj (imperious) → imperioso/a; (authoritative) → magistrale


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When this mystery, thanks to Rouletabille, was naturally explained, by the help alone of his masterful mind, we were able to realise that the murderer had got away neither by a door, a window, nor the stairs--a fact which the judges would not admit.
When Ming Huang bade the masterful eunuch Kao Li-shih unlace the poet's boots, he gave him a relentless enemy whose malice pursued him, until at length he was glad to beg leave to retire from the court, where he was never at ease and to which he never returned.
He loved her jealously, with an inextinguishable ardour and an insatiable desire - he loved her with a masterful devotion and an infinite trustfulness.
 
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