mastery

plural masteries · alternative obsolete masterie

1. uncountableusuallyThe position or authority of a master; dominion; command; supremacy; superiority.

   If divided by mountains, they will fight for the mastery of the passages of the tops.

   c. 1610, Sir Walter Raleigh, The Misery of Invasive War

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   The desert storm was riding in its strength; the travellers lay beneath the mastery of the fell simoom. Whirling wreaths and columns of burning wind, rushed around and over them.

   1892, James Yoxall, chapter 5, in The Lonely Pyramid

2. uncountableusuallySuperiority in war or competition; victory; triumph; preeminence.

   The voice of them that shout for mastery.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 32:xxxii–18

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   They were faire Ladies, till they fondly ſtriu’d / With th’Heliconian maides for mayſtery; / Of whom they ouer-comen, were depriu’d / Of their proud beautie, and th’one moyity / Transform’d to fiſh, for their bold ſurquedry, / But th’vpper halfe their hew retayned ſtill, / And their ſweet skill in wonted melody; / Which euer after they abuſd to ill, / T’allure weake traueillers, whom gotten they did kill.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 31, pages 370–371

   Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 9:–25

   O, but to ha' gulled him / Had been a mastery.

   1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, (please specify the Internet Archive page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

3. uncountableusuallyThe act or process of mastering; the state of having mastered; expertise.

   He […]could attain to a mastery in all languages.

   1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC

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   The learning and mastery of a tongue, being unpleasant in itself, should not be cumbered with other difficulties.

   1693, [John Locke], “§173”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC

   At Tebay however, he began to get the mastery over these untoward conditions, and actually got back a little time up to Shap, after which all was plain sailing.

   1941 November, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 484

4. obsoleteuncountableusuallyA contest for superiority.

   Come, Paolo, we two have never held / A mastery between us — tell me out!

   1929, Delphian Society, “Delphian Text”, in Paolo and Francesca, volume 7, page 441

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   […] pastimes of wrestling, and like maſteries betweene the Citizens of London and others of the Suburbes […]

   1623, John Speed, The Historie of Great Britain Under the Conquests of the Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans, page 596

   Rury has given the word for some rare sport — a bout of games and masteries between me and Marcos Serkman to prove which is the better man.

   1936, John Clayton, The Anger of the North, page 69

5. obsoleteuncountableusuallyA masterly operation; a feat.

   That ye maye knowe..what masteryes they haue played.

   1546, John Bale, The actes of Englysh votaryes

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   Ye welsh men..brake out vpon the Englysshe men in ye Bordour..and there made masteryes for a whyle.

   1516, Robert Fabyan, New cronycles of Englande and of Fraunce

   By a number of odde speeches..you doo yet suppose to haue wrought a mastery.

   1592, Angell Day, The English secretorie

   Why, thou cowardly knave, no stronger than a duck, Darest thou try masteries with me a-pluck.

   1905, John Stephen Farmer, “Thersites”, in Six Anonymous Plays, page 212

   To accomplish this is a great mastery, a rare mastery: but it is an accomplishment that seems to have been Rowlandson's easily whenever he would.

   1909, Selwyn Image, “The Serious Art of Thomas Rowlandson”, in The Burlington Magazine, volume 14, page 12

   And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully.

   1910, John Merrill Davis, Striving for Masteries and Other Baccalaureate Sermons, page 5

6. obsoleteuncountableusuallyThe philosopher's stone.