Meanings
- uncountableLack of skill.
The mind sometimes exercises this judgment out of necessity, where demonstrative proofs and certain knowledge are not to be had; and sometimes out of laziness, unskilfulness, or haste, even where demonstrative and certain proofs are to be had.
1690, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume II.1 more example
It happened, by the advantage of situation, by the unskilfulness and the fatigue of the enemy, by the valour of our soldiers, and their experience in former battles, that they could not stand one attack of our men, and immediately turned their backs: and our men with full vigour followed them while disordered, and slew a great number of them; the horse pursuing the rest, left but few, who escaped by flight.
1915, W. A. Macdevitt, "De Bello Gallico" and Other Commentaries
Origin
Cite this entry
unskilfulness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unskilfulness
“unskilfulness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unskilfulness. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unskilfulness,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unskilfulness.
Source: unskilfulness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.