Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.
Class V. Words Releasing to the Voluntary PowersDivision (I) Individual Volition
Section III. Voluntary Action
2. Complex Voluntary Action
698. Skill.
seamanship, airmanship, marksmanship, horsemanship; rope-dancing; tight-rope -, slack-rope- walking.
ACCOMPLISHMENT, acquirement, attainment; art, science; finish, finished execution, technique, technic, practical -, technical- knowledge; technology.
WORLD WISDOM, knowledge of the world, savoir faire [F.]; tact; mother wit (sagacity) [See Intelligence. Wisdom]; discretion (caution) [See Caution]; finesse; craftiness (cunning) [See Cunning]; management (conduct) [See Conduct]; self-help.
CLEVERNESS, talent, ability, ingenuity, capacity, parts, talents, faculty, endowment, forte, turn, gift, genius; intelligence [See Intelligence. Wisdom]; sharpness, readiness (activity) [See Activity]; invention [See Imagination]; aptness, aptitude; turn for, capacity for, genius for; felicity, capability, curiosa felicitas [L.], qualification, habilitation.
PROFICIENT, expert, adept [See Proficient].
MASTERPIECE, masterwork, coup de maître [F.,] chef d’æuvre [F.], tour de force [F.]; good stroke (plan) [See Plan].
KNOW WHAT’S WHAT, know- a hawk from a handsaw, – what one is about, – on which side one’s bread is buttered, – what’s o’clock, – what o’clock it is, – the time of day, – a thing or two, – the ropes; have cut one’s -eyeteeth, – wisdom teeth; see through a millstone; be up to [all colloq.].
see one’s way, see where the wind lies, see which way the wind blows; have all one’s wits about one, have one’s hand in; savoir vivre [F.]; scire quid valeant humeri quid ferre recusent [L.].
look after the main chance; cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth; live by one’s wits; exercise one’s discretion, feather the oar, sail near the wind; stoop to conquer (cunning) [See Cunning]; play one’s cards well, play one’s best card; hit the right nail on the head, put the saddle on the right horse.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, make the most of; profit by (use) [See Use]; make a hit (succeed) [See Success]; make a virtue of necessity; make hay while the sun shines (occasion) [See Occasion].
EXPERIENCED, practiced, skilled; up in, well up in; in practice; competent, efficient, qualified, capable, fitted, fit for, up to the mark, up and coming [dial., U. S.], trained, initiated, prepared, primed, finished.
CLEVER, cute [colloq.], able, ingenious, felicitous, gifted, talented, endowed; inventive [See Imagination]; shrewd, sharp (intelligent) [See Intelligence. Wisdom]; cunning [See Cunning]; alive to, up to snuff [slang], not to be caught with chaff; discreet.
neat-handed, fine-fingered, nimble-fingered, ambidextrous, sure-footed; cut out for [colloq.], fitted for.
technical, artistic, scientific, dædalian, shipshapelike, workmanlike, businesslike, statesmanlike.
- Ars celare artem.
- Srtes honorabit.
- Celui qui veut celui-là peut.
- C’est une grande habilité que de savoir cacher son habilité.
- Expertus metuit.—Horace
- Es bildet ein Talent sich in der Stille sich ein Charakter in dem Strom der Welt.
- Heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, or the hand to execute.—Junius