Etimology
From Middle English skill, skille (also schil, schile), from Old English scille and Old Norse skil (“a distinction, discernment, knowledge”), from Proto-Germanic *skilją (“separation, limit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“to split, cut”). Cognate with Danish skel (“a separation, boundary, divide”), Swedish skäl (“reason”), Dutch verschil (“difference”) and schillen (“to separate the outer layer (schil) from the product”, verb).
noun
skill (countable and uncountable, plural skills)
Capacity to do something well; technique, ability. Skills are usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities, which are often thought of as innate.
(obsolete) Discrimination; judgment; propriety; reason; cause.
(obsolete) Knowledge; understanding.
(obsolete) Display of art; exercise of ability; contrivance; address.
Examples
Synonyms: ability, talent; see also Thesaurus:skill
Where did you pick up that skill?
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.
Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. 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.
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.
Him so I sought, and so at last I fowndWhere him that witch had thralled to her will,In chaines of lust and lewde desyres ybowndAnd so transformed from his former skill,That me he knew not, nether his owne ill;
Methinks I should know you, and know this man;Yet I am doubtful; for I am mainly ignorantWhat place this is; and all the skill I haveRemembers not these garments; nor I know notWhere I did lodge last night. […]
And Howell Dha shall goodly well indewThe salvage minds with skill of just and trew;
[…] This desert soilWants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold;Nor want we skill or art from whence to raiseMagnificence […]
'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?'
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.
adjective
skill (comparative skiller, superlative skillest)
(UK, slang) Great, excellent. [1980s–1990s]
Examples
Well, unfortunately for you, my dearest Waggipoos, I'm much more skill than you!
This game is skill. Remember that because it's going to sound really complicated.
And I am skiller than you.
Etimology
From Middle English skilen (also schillen), partly from Old English scilian (“to separate, part, divide off”); and partly from Old Norse skilja (“to divide, separate”); both from Proto-Germanic *skilōną, *skiljaną (“to divide, limit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“to split, cut”). Cognate with Danish skille (“to separate, discard”), Swedish skilja (“to distinguish, differentiate, part”), Icelandic skilja (“to understand”), Low German schelen (“to make a difference; to be squint-eyed”), Dutch schelen (“to make a difference”).
verb
skill (third-person singular simple present skills, present participle skilling, simple past and past participle skilled)
(transitive) To set apart; separate.
(transitive, chiefly dialectal) To discern; have knowledge or understanding; to know how (to).
(transitive, dialectal, Scotland, Northern England, rare) To know; to understand.
(intransitive) To have knowledge or comprehension; discern.
(intransitive) To have personal or practical knowledge; be versed or practised; be expert or dextrous.
(intransitive, archaic) To make a difference; signify; matter.
(video games) To spend acquired points in exchange for skills.
Examples
I cannot skill of these Thy ways […]
As for the virginals I have none here that skill of them, except the young lord.
[…] to skill the arts of expressing our mind and imparting our conceptions with advantage, so as to instruct or persuade others […]
So then the whole scripture of God, being true, whence soever this be delivered and gathered, it skilleth not […]
[…] 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.
What skills it, if a bag of stones or goldAbout thy neck do drown thee?
But it skills not talking of it.
Related words
synonyms
(separate): split (call management systems)