skill
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English [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
From Middle English skilen (also schillen), partly from Old English scylian, scielian (“to separate, part, divide off”); and partly from Old Norse skilja (“to divide, separate”); both from Proto-Germanic *skilōnan, *skiljanan (“to divide, limit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kalǝ-, *(s)kelǝ- (“to split, cut”). Cognate with Danish skille (“to separate, discard”), Swedish skilja (“to distinguish, differentiate, part”), Icelandic skilja (“to understand”), Dutch schelen (“to make a difference”).
Verb [edit]
skill (third-person singular simple present skills, present participle skilling, simple past and past participle skilled)
- (transitive) To set apart; separate.
- (transitive, chiefly dialectal) To discern; have knowledge or understanding; to know how (to).
- (Can we date this quote?) Herbert:
- I can not skill of these thy ways.
- (Can we date this quote?) Herbert:
- (intransitive) To have knowledge or comprehension; discern.
- (intransitive) To have personal or practical knowledge of; be versed or practised; be expert or dextrous.
- (intransitive, archaic) To make a difference; signify; matter.
Etymology 2 [edit]
From Middle English skill, skille (also schil, schile), from Old English *scile and Old Norse skil (“a distinction, discernment, knowledge”), from Proto-Germanic *skilin (“separation, limit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kalǝ-, *(s)kelǝ- (“to split, cut”). Cognate with Danish skel (“a separation, boundary, divide”), Swedish skäl (“reason”), Dutch verschil (“difference”).Dutch schillen (verb) (“to sperate the outer layer (schil) from the product”).
Noun [edit]
skill (countable and uncountable; plural skills)
- Capacity to do something well; technique, ability. Skills are usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities, which are often thought of as innate.
Synonyms [edit]
- ability
- talent
- split (Call management systems)
- See also Wikisaurus:skill
Derived terms [edit]
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
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Adjective [edit]
skill (comparative more skill, superlative most skill)
- (UK, slang) great, excellent
- 1987, Teresa Maughan, Letters (in Your Sinclair issue 18, June 1987)
- Well, unfortunately for you, my dearest Waggipoos, I'm much more skill than you!
- 1991, Wreckers (video game review in Crash issue 88, May 1991)
- This game is skill. Remember that because it's going to sound really complicated.
- 1999, "Andy Smith", I am well skill (on Internet newsgroup alt.digitiser)
- And I am skiller than you.
- 1987, Teresa Maughan, Letters (in Your Sinclair issue 18, June 1987)
Anagrams [edit]
References [edit]
- Skel i “skill” in Ordbog over det danske Sprog
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms derived from Old Norse
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English verbs
- English dialectal terms
- English archaic terms
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English adjectives
- British English
- English slang