deft
/deft/ (bre, ipa) · /deft/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdeft/ (ame, mw)
deft — adjective
- deftpositive
- deftercomparative
- deftestsuperlative
1. able to do something with quick, neat, and well-controlled hand or body movement
able to do something with quick, neat, and well-controlled hand or body movements — and, by extension, able to handle a tricky situation or topic with the same kind of light, precise touch.
Nora folded the dumpling wrappers with deft fingers and barely spilled any filling.
collocation: deft fingers / deft hands
The young pianist's left hand was surprisingly deft for a beginner of only six months.
predicative: be deft (for/at) + noun
With a few deft strokes of the knife, Mizuki turned the carrot into a tiny rose.
Ilan is remarkably deft at handling angry customers without ever raising his voice.
The minister's deft answer turned the journalist's trap into a small joke.
- dexterous
near-synonym; slightly more formal and almost always physical, while deft also covers verbal and social skill
- nimble
emphasises quick, light movement of fingers or body; deft adds the idea of precision and good outcome
- adroit
formal; often used for social or mental cleverness, less for purely physical skill
- skilful
general everyday word; deft is sharper, suggesting quickness and neatness on top of skill
- clumsy
direct opposite for physical movement — fumbling, knocking things over
- awkward
broader opposite covering both physical movement and handling tricky situations
- ham-fisted
informal; clumsy in a way that ruins a delicate task
文法句型
deft + body part / movement noun
deft with + noun
deft at + V-ing
用法筆記
Frequently attributive before a body-part or movement noun (deft fingers, deft hands, deft touch, deft strokes). The figurative extension keeps the same nuance of light, controlled, economical action — never used for raw power or brute force.