skill

plural skills · alternative obsolete skil

1. countableuncountableA capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate.

   Where did you pick up that skill?

   5 more examples

   With great skill, she navigated through the tricky passage.

   Doing that coaching course not only taught me useful skills on the field, but also some important life skills.

   I have heard the French-man hath good skill in his rapier.

   c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 45

   Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.

   1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], “The Old Punt: A Curious ‘Turnpike’”, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 20

   The skill was not in creating a grid full of words, but in producing clues cryptic enough to baffle the puzzler, yet constructed so honestly that they could be solved by any intelligent person who knew the conventions.

   2013 November 26, Simon Hoggart, “Araucaria's last puzzle: crossword master dies”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 26, page 43

   Synonyms: ability

2. countableuncountableartificial intelligenceA reusable configuration (prompt) that defines how an AI agent performs a specific task.
3. countableobsoleteuncountableDiscrimination; judgment; propriety; reason; cause.

   Him so I sought, and so at last I fownd Where him that witch had thralled to her will, In chaines of lust and lewde desyres ybownd And so transformed from his former skill, That me he knew not, nether his owne ill;

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, , stanzas 1-5, page 54

   1 more example

   Methinks I should know you, and know this man; Yet I am doubtful; for I am mainly ignorant What place this is; and all the skill I have Remembers not these garments; nor I know not Where I did lodge last night. […]

   c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]

4. countableobsoleteuncountableKnowledge; understanding.

   And Howell Dha shall goodly well indew The salvage minds with skill of just and trew;

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, , stanzas 4-5, page 45

   2 more examples

   […] This desert soil Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold; Nor want we skill or art from whence to raise Magnificence […]

   1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   “I kenna whatna man ye are,” he says, “but ye have the skill of lassies' hearts. Tell me truly, is there no way to win her to common love?”

   1902, John Buchan, “The Outgoing of the Tide”, in The Watcher by the Threshold, and other tales, Edinburgh; London: W. Blackwood & Sons, page 245

5. countableobsoleteuncountableDisplay of art; exercise of ability; contrivance; address.

   Richard was well ſtored with men, the bones; and quickly got money, the ſinews of warre; by a thousand Princely ſkills gathering ſo much coin as if he meant not to return, becauſe looking back would unbowe his reſolution.

   1639, Thomas Fuller, “Richard of England and Philip of France Set Forward to the Holy Land; the Danger of the Interviews of Princes”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book III, page 118

comparative skiller · superlative skillest · alternative obsolete skil

1. UKslangGreat, excellent.First known use 1980s–1990s

   And I am skiller than you.

   1999, Andy Smith, “I am well skill”, in alt.digitiser (Usenet)

   2 more examples

   Well, unfortunately for you, my dearest Waggipoos, I'm much more skill than you!

   1987 June, Teresa Maughan, “Letters”, in Your Sinclair, number 18

   This game is skill. Remember that because it's going to sound really complicated.

   1991, Wreckers (video game review in Crash issue 88, May 1991)

present singular third person skills · participle present skilling · participle past skilled · past skilled

1. transitiveTo set apart; separate.

   Synonyms: split

2. dialectaltransitiveTo discern; have knowledge or understanding; to know how (to).

   I cannot skill of these Thy ways […]

   1633, George Herbert, “Justice”, in The Temple

3. Northern EnglandScotlanddialectalraretransitiveTo know; to understand.

   17th century, Isaac Barrow, “On Industry in Our Particular Calling as Scholars,” […] to skill the arts of expressing our mind and imparting our conceptions with advantage, so as to instruct or persuade others […]

   1 more example

   As for the virginals I have none here that skill of them, except the young lord.

   1613, Breadalbane Letters, Documents

4. intransitiveTo have knowledge or comprehension; discern.
5. intransitiveTo have personal or practical knowledge; be versed or practised; be expert or dextrous.
6. archaicintransitiveTo make a difference; signify; matter.

   But it skills not talking of it.

   1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC

   3 more examples

   So then the whole scripture of God, being true, whence soever this be delivered and gathered, it skilleth not […]

   1592, Richard Turnbull, An Exposition upon the Canonicall Epistle of Saint Jude, London: John Windet, Sermon 5, p. 67

   […] I should have given’t you to-day morning, but as a madman’s epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much when they are delivered.

   c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]

   What skills it, if a bag of stones or gold About thy neck do drown thee?

   1633, George Herbert, “The Church Porch”, in The Temple

7. video gamesTo spend acquired points in exchange for skills.