deft

[ deft ]
See synonyms for deft on Thesaurus.com
adjective,deft·er, deft·est.
  1. dexterous; nimble; skillful; clever: deft hands;a deft mechanic.

Origin of deft

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; variant of daft

synonym study For deft

See dexterous.

Other words from deft

  • deft·ly, adverb
  • deft·ness, noun
  • un·deft, adjective

Words Nearby deft

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use deft in a sentence

  • With a deft movement the conductor unhooks the board, and calmly walks away with it under his arm.

    Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist | Alexander Berkman
  • Recovering his breath, Jim snatches the knife at his side, and with a few deft strokes releases the metal.

    Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist | Alexander Berkman
  • Nina had a vision of Prothero standing over the little thing, his long deft hands trembling as he performed this office.

    The Creators | May Sinclair
  • Then, with deft fingers, she shook them loose while the man came suddenly close to her, his eyes studying her face in surprise.

    The Woman Gives | Owen Johnson
  • With a deft twist and flip he tossed the open noose over his prisoner's upheld wrists and jerked it tight.

    Blazed Trail Stories | Stewart Edward White

British Dictionary definitions for deft

deft

/ (dɛft) /


adjective
  1. quick and neat in movement; nimble; dexterous

Origin of deft

1
C13 (in the sense: gentle): see daft

Derived forms of deft

  • deftly, adverb
  • deftness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012