Pronunciations (6)
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/skɪl/
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[skɪɫ]
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
- US
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[skɪo̯]
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[skɪʊ̯]
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[skiːo̯]
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[skiːʊ̯]
Noun
A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
- Examples
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Where did you pick up that skill?
With great skill, she navigated through the tricky passage.
More examples (4)
Doing that coaching course not only taught me useful skills on the field, but also some important life skills.
I have heard the French-man hath good skill in his rapier.
Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.
The skill was not in creating a grid full of words, but in producing clues cryptic enough to baffle the puzzler, yet constructed so honestly that they could be solved by any intelligent person who knew the conventions.
A reusable configuration (prompt) that defines how an AI agent performs a specific task.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Discrimination; judgment; propriety; reason; cause.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (2)
Him so I sought, and so at last I fownd Where him that witch had thralled to her will, In chaines of lust and lewde desyres ybownd And so transformed from his former skill, That me he knew not, nether his owne ill;
Methinks I should know you, and know this man; Yet I am doubtful; for I am mainly ignorant What place this is; and all the skill I have Remembers not these garments; nor I know not Where I did lodge last night. […]
Knowledge; understanding.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Examples
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And Howell Dha shall goodly well indew The salvage minds with skill of just and trew;
[…] This desert soil Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold; Nor want we skill or art from whence to raise Magnificence […]
More examples (1)
“I kenna whatna man ye are,” he says, “but ye have the skill of lassies' hearts. Tell me truly, is there no way to win her to common love?”
Display of art; exercise of ability; contrivance; address.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Richard was well ſtored with men, the bones; and quickly got money, the ſinews of warre; by a thousand Princely ſkills gathering ſo much coin as if he meant not to return, becauſe looking back would unbowe his reſolution.
Adjective
Great, excellent.
Usage- UK usage
- Slang
- Examples
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Well, unfortunately for you, my dearest Waggipoos, I'm much more skill than you!
This game is skill. Remember that because it's going to sound really complicated.
More examples (1)
And I am skiller than you.
Verb
To set apart; separate.
Usage- Transitive
To discern; have knowledge or understanding; to know how (to).
Usage- dialectal
- Transitive
- Examples
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I cannot skill of these Thy ways […]
To know; to understand.
Usage- Northern-England
- Scotland
- dialectal
- Rare
- Transitive
- Examples
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As for the virginals I have none here that skill of them, except the young lord.
More examples (1)
17th century, Isaac Barrow, “On Industry in Our Particular Calling as Scholars,” […] to skill the arts of expressing our mind and imparting our conceptions with advantage, so as to instruct or persuade others […]
To have knowledge or comprehension; discern.
Usage- Intransitive
To have personal or practical knowledge; be versed or practised; be expert or dextrous.
Usage- Intransitive
To make a difference; signify; matter.
Usage- Archaic
- Intransitive
- Examples
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So then the whole scripture of God, being true, whence soever this be delivered and gathered, it skilleth not […]
[…] I should have given’t you to-day morning, but as a madman’s epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much when they are delivered.
More examples (2)
What skills it, if a bag of stones or gold About thy neck do drown thee?
But it skills not talking of it.
To spend acquired points in exchange for skills.
Noun
an ability that has been acquired by training
ability to produce solutions in some problem domain
- Synonyms
- Examples
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the skill of a well-trained boxer
the sweet science of pugilism