dexterity

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dex·ter·i·ty

(dĕk-stĕr′ĭ-tē)

1. Skill and grace in physical movement, especially in the use of the hands; adroitness.

2. Mental skill or adroitness; cleverness.

[French dextérité, from Latin dexteritās, from dexter, skillful; see dexter.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

dexterity

(dɛkˈstɛrɪtɪ)

1. physical, esp manual, skill or nimbleness

2. mental skill or adroitness; cleverness

3. (Physiology) rare the characteristic of being right-handed

[C16: from Latin dexteritās aptness, readiness, prosperity; see dexter¹]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

dex•ter•i•ty

(dɛkˈstɛr ɪ ti)

n.

1. skill or adroitness in using the body or esp. the hands.

2. mental adroitness or skill; cleverness.

[1520–30; < Latin dexteritās readiness =dexter skillful (see dexter) + -itās -ity]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

dexterity - adroitness in using the hands

manual dexterity, sleight

adeptness, adroitness, deftness, quickness, facility - skillful performance or ability without difficulty; "his quick adeptness was a product of good design"; "he was famous for his facility as an archer"

dexterity

noun

1. skill, expertise, mastery, touch, facility, craft, knack, finesse, artistry, proficiency, smoothness, neatness, deftness, nimbleness, adroitness, effortlessness, handiness He showed great dexterity on the guitar.
skill inability, incompetence, incapacity, ineptitude, clumsiness, uselessness, gaucheness

2. cleverness, art, ability, ingenuity, readiness, aptitude, adroitness, aptness, expertness, skilfulness the wit and verbal dexterity of the script

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

dexterity

noun

1. Skillfulness in the use of the hands or body:

adroitness, deftness, dexterousness, prowess, skill, sleight.

2. The quality or state of being mentally agile:

agileness, agility, dexterousness, nimbleness, quickness.

Translations

مَهارَه، خِفَّةُ يَد

zručnostobratnost

fingerfærdighed

Geschicklichkeit Fingerfertigkeit

δεξιοσύνη επιδεξιότητα επιτηδειότητα μαστοριά

destreza

näppäryystaitavuus

dextérité

גמישות זריזות מיומנות

kézügyességügyesség

lagni

destrezza

miklumas

izveicībaveiklība

handigheid

beceriklilikhüner

敏捷灵巧

dexterity

[deksˈterɪtɪ] N (physical, mental) → destreza f, habilidad f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

dexterity

[dɛkˈstɛrɪti] n → dextérité f, adresse f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

dexterity

n → Geschick nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

dexterity

[dɛksˈtɛrɪtɪ] n dexterity (in doing sth) (of hands) → destrezza (a fare qc); (of mind) → abilità (nel fare qc)

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

dexterity

(dekˈsterəti) noun

skill and/or quickness, especially with the hands. She showed her dexterity with a needle and thread.

ˈdext(e)rous adjective

skilful, especially with the hands. He is a very dexterous surgeon.

dex·ter·i·ty

n. dexteridad, habilidad de usar las manos con perfecta coordinación motora.

dexterity

n destreza

References in classic literature ?

Now, however, no whit anticipating the oblivion which awaited their names and feats, the champions advanced through the lists, restraining their fiery steeds, and compelling them to move slowly, while, at the same time, they exhibited their paces, together with the grace and dexterity of the riders.

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The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence.

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"If you did not pique yourself more on your dexterity with those foils you carry than on dexterity of tongue," said the other student, "you would have been head of the degrees, where you are now tail."

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Halting for an instant at the foot of the ladder, and with both hands grasping the ornamental knobs of the man-ropes, Father Mapple cast a look upwards, and then with a truly sailorlike but still reverential dexterity, hand over hand, mounted the steps as if ascending the main-top of his vessel.

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It is a charming faculty, but one often abused by those who are conscious of its possession: for there is something ghoulish in the avidity with which they will pounce upon the misfortune of their friends so that they may exercise their dexterity. It gushes forth like an oil-well, and the sympathetic pour out their sympathy with an abandon that is sometimes embarrassing to their victims.

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I mentioned thus much of the history of this woman here, the better to account for the concern she had in the wicked life I was now leading, into all the particulars of which she led me, as it were, by the hand, and gave me such directions, and I so well followed them, that I grew the greatest artist of my time and worked myself out of every danger with such dexterity, that when several more of my comrades ran themselves into Newgate presently, and by that time they had been half a year at the trade, I had now practised upwards of five years, and the people at Newgate did not so much as know me; they had heard much of me indeed, and often expected me there, but I always got off, though many times in the extremest danger.

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Look attentively at the duels and the hand-to-hand combats, how superior the Italians are in strength, dexterity, and subtlety.

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Foiled in this, he brought from the shrubbery a plank, which he leant against the top of the door and then climbed up with great dexterity. This did not bring him near enough to the window-hole to look in, or even to throw the light of the lantern through it, so he climbed down and carried the plank back to the place from which he had got it.

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All that day the serjeant and the young soldier marched together; and the former, who was an arch fellow, told the latter many entertaining stories of his campaigns, though in reality he had never made any; for he was but lately come into the service, and had, by his own dexterity, so well ingratiated himself with his officers, that he had promoted himself to a halberd; chiefly indeed by his merit in recruiting, in which he was most excellently well skilled.

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It is shifted from one to another with so much dexterity, and under such plausible appearances, that the public opinion is left in suspense about the real author.

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The village soon presented the appearance of a busy fair; and as horses were in demand, the purlieus and the adjacent plain were like the vicinity of a Tartar encampment; horses were put through all their paces, and horsemen were careering about with that dexterity and grace for which the Arickaras are noted.

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Bob Sawyer adjusted his skates with a dexterity which to Mr.

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