deft, a.
(dɛft)
Also 3–5 defte.
[app. a doublet of daft, repr. OE. ᵹedæfte, for ᵹedęfte, mild, gentle, meek, from stem daƀ- in Gothic gadaban to become, befit: cf. OE. ᵹedæfen becoming, fit, suitable.]
† 1. Gentle, meek, humble; = daft 1. Obs. rare.
| c 1220 Bestiary 36 Ðat defte meiden, Marie bi name Ðe him bar to manne frame. |
2. Apt, skilful, dexterous, clever or neat in action.
| c 1440 York Myst. i. 92, I sall be lyke vnto hym þat es hyeste on heyhte; Owe! what I am derworth and defte. 1592 G. Harvey Four Lett. 57 Whether the Deft writer be as sure a workeman as the neat Taylor. 1598 Chapman Iliad i. 580 A laughter never left Shook all the blessed deities, to see the lame so deft At that cup service. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster v. iii, Well said, my divine, deft Horace. 1607 Lingua iii. v. in Hazl. Dodsley IX. 394 Their knowledge is only of things present, quickly sublimed with the deft file of time. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Deft, neat, clever. ‘She is a deft hand with a needle.’ 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola i. ix, Smitten and buffeted because he was not deft and active. 1864 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. IV. xii. xi. 254 A cunning little wretch, they say, and of deft tongue. |
b. Of actions: Showing skill or dexterity in execution.
| 1647 H. More Philos. Poems, Oracle 90 Break off this musick, and deft seemly Round. 1714 Gay Sheph. Week i. 56 The wanton Calf may skip with many a Bound, And my Cur Tray play deftest Feats around. 1853 C. Brontë Villette i, The creature..made a deft attempt to fold the shawl. 1878 H. S. Wilson Alp. Ascents iii. 97 With deft blows of the untiring axe. |
† c. transf. Of a metal: Apt for working, easily wrought. Obs.
| 1683 Phil. Trans. XIII. 193 How to make brittle gold deft and fit to be wrought. |
3. Neat, tidy, trim, spruce; handsome, pretty. Still dial.
[The sense ‘neat in action’ (see 2) appears to have passed into ‘neat in person’. Cf. similar developments, under buxom, canny, clever, handsome, tidy, and other adjectives expressing personal praise.]
| 1579, 1589 [see deftly 2]. 1600 Heywood 1 Edw. IV Wks. 1874 I. 83 By the messe, a deft lass! Christs benison light on her. 1600 Holland Livy iv. xliv. 168 In her raiment..not so deft [scite] as devout..her garments rather sainctly than sightly. 1611 Cotgr., Greslet..little, prettie, deft, smallish. 1622 Rowlands Good Newes 20 Shee came to London very neat and deft, To seeke preferment. 1674–91 Ray N.C. Words 20 Deft, little and pretty, or neat. A Deft man or thing. It is a word of general use all England over. 1781 J. Hutton Tour Caves Gloss., Deft, pretty, agreeable. 1788 W. Marshall E. Yorksh. Gloss., Deft, neat, pretty, handsome. 1873 Swaledale Gloss., Deft, neat, pretty. |
4. Quiet. Cf. deftly 3. Still dial.
| a 1763 Byrom Careless Content (R.), Or if ye ween, for worldly stirs, That man does right to mar his rest, Let me be deft, and debonair, I am content, I do not care. 1878 Cumbrld. Gloss. (Central), Deft, quiet, silent. |
† 5. Stupid; = daft 2. Obs.—0
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 116 Defte [v.r. deft] or dulle, obtusus, agrestis. |
6. quasi adv. Deftly.
| 1805 Scott Last Minstr. i. xv, Merry elves their morrice pacing..Trip it deft and merrily. |
7. Comb., as deft-fingered, deft-handed.
| 1860 W. J. C. Muir Pagan or Christian? 36 Being deft-fingered..they grew in good time to be tolerable adepts in their Art. 1889 Boys' Own Paper 3 Aug. 698/3 She did not show herself so deft-handed. |