SKILFUL

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does skilful mean? 

• SKILFUL (adjective)
  The adjective SKILFUL has 1 sense:

1. having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

  Familiarity information: SKILFUL used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SKILFUL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

Synonyms:

adept; expert; good; practiced; proficient; skilful; skillful

Context example:

the effect was achieved by skillful retouching

Similar:

skilled (having or showing or requiring special skill)

 Context examples 

My mistress had a daughter of nine years old, a child of towardly parts for her age, very dexterous at her needle, and skilful in dressing her baby.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Besides these, we had engaged three Mojo Indians from Bolivia, who are the most skilful at fishing and boat work of all the river tribes.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A young woman was kneading with skilful fingers the tired muscles of his legs.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

In an instant Beppo, a skilful workman, made a small hole in the wet plaster, dropped in the pearl, and with a few touches covered over the aperture once more.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This investiture of the grotesque and impossible with reality, he looked upon as a trick—a skilful trick at best.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The king said yes, if he was skilful and could get game for him, he should come to him, but that deer had never taken up their quarters in any part of the district or country.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Skilful has been the hand!

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Sir Walter had at first thought more of London; but Mr Shepherd felt that he could not be trusted in London, and had been skilful enough to dissuade him from it, and make Bath preferred.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

There is sooth in what you say, Master Micheldene, said Sir Nigel, and I trust that we may come upon this Roger Clubfoot, for I have heard that he is a very stout and skilful soldier, and a man from whom much honor is to be gained.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I knew from the first, that, if I could not do my work as well as any of the rest, I could not hold myself above slight and contempt. I soon became at least as expeditious and as skilful as either of the other boys.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)