dexterous, dextrous, a.
(ˈdɛkstərəs, ˈdɛkstrəs)
Also 7 dexterious.
[f. L. dexter, dextr- right, handy, dexterous, dextra the right hand + -ous. If an analogous word had been formed in L., it would have been dextrōsus; hence dextrous (cf. sinistrous) is the more regular form; but dexterous appears to prevail in 19th c. prose.]
† 1. Situated on the right side or right-hand; right, as opposed to left; = dexter 1, dextral.
| 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iv. v. 190 The dextrous and sinistrous parts of the body. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. 221 The Contrarieties and Conjugations of things, such as..Dextrous and Sinistrous, Eaven and Odd, and the like. |
† 2. Handy, convenient, suitable, fitting. Obs.
| 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xv. §2 The Art..is barren, that is, not dexterous to be applyed to the serious vse of businesse and occasions. |
3. Deft or nimble of hand, neat-handed; hence skilful in the use of the limbs and in bodily movements generally.
| 1635–56 Cowley Davideis iv. 353 So swift, so strong, so dextrous none beside. 1650 Fuller Pisgah i. 423 Though skilfull in the Mathematicall..so dexterous in the manual part. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 570 The dext'rous Huntsman wounds not these afar. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. I. xviii. 483 He was a dextrous archer. 1801 Southey Thalaba iii. xviii, With dexterous fingers. 1818 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. iv. i. 13 The flagellants in India are said to be so dextrous, as to kill a man with a few strokes of the chawbuck. |
4. Having mental adroitness or skill; skilful or expert in contrivance or management; clever.
| 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. * * iv a, As dextrous in Letters as disciplin'd in Armes. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. ix. 281 Generally the most dexterous in spirituall matters are left-handed in temporall businesse. 1672 Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 194 A dexterous Scholastical Disputant. a 1720 Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.) Wks. (1753) II. 25 To which, that dextrous Minister replied something haughtily. 1838 Thirlwall Greece IV. 433 A dexterous politician of Lysander's school. a 1843 Southey Doctor clxxiv. (1862) 457 She was devout in religion, decorous in conduct..dextrous in business. 1850 A. Jameson Leg. Monast. Ord. (1863) 333 Dexterous in the management of temporal affairs. |
† b. In a bad sense: ‘Clever’, crafty, cunning.
| 1701 tr. Le Clerc's Prim. Fathers (1702) 154 Eusebius..was a dextrous Person which made no scruple to subscribe to Terms which he did not like. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 332 Ward..was a very dexterous man if not too dexterous; for his sincerity was much questioned. |
5. Of things: Done with or characterized by dexterity; skilful, clever.
| a 1625 Beaum. & Fl. Bloody Brother iv. ii, He..cuts through the elements for us..In a fine dextrous line. 1627–77 Feltham Resolves i. lxxxviii. 136 A dexterous Art shows cunning and industry; rather than judgment and ingenuity. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. xiv. 287 Trained to the dexterous use of their fire-arms. 1808 Syd. Smith Wks. (1859) I. 115/1 An uninterrupted series of dexterous conduct. |
6. Using the right hand in preference to the left; right-handed.
| In mod. Dicts. |