deftness

/ˈdeftnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdeftnəs/ (ame, ipa) · /-f(t)nə̇s/ (ame, mw)

deftness — noun

1. skill and speed in using your hands or your mind to do something well

1.名詞C1
釋義

skill and speed in using your hands or your mind to do something well

例句

Thiago's deftness with a chef's knife won him first place at the regional cooking competition.

collocation: deftness with [tool]

The eye surgeon's deftness during the delicate procedure impressed the watching medical students.

pattern: possessor's deftness during [activity]

同義詞
  • dexterity

    more specific to physical hand-skill; CEFR C1

  • skill

    broader — includes any learned ability, not necessarily speed; CEFR A2

  • finesse

    emphasises delicate, subtle handling rather than quickness; CEFR C1

  • adroitness

    more formal and less common; covers both physical and mental ability; CEFR C2

反義詞
  • clumsiness

    lack of coordination or grace; CEFR B2

  • awkwardness

    lack of ease in movement or social handling; CEFR B2

用法筆記

Uncountable — do not use as a count noun (❌ 'a deftness', ❌ 'several deftnesses'). Frequently followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with with, in, on, or during that specifies the domain of skill.

常見錯誤

❌He showed a deftness when repairing the watch.
✅He showed deftness when repairing the watch.
💡'deftness' is uncountable and does not take the indefinite article 'a'.