deft English · revision 1575

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɛft/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|defte|t=gentle]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) a variant of ''dafte'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) from Old English ''gedæfte'' “mild, gentle”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is the same word as [[daft]], but the two forms developed different meanings.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Gentle, meek, humble (about 1220).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English the word could mean well-mannered and mild, but also dull and boorish.^(Etymonline) While ''daft'' went on to mean foolish, ''deft'' took the sense of apt or skilful in the mid-15th century,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) which is its only common modern meaning.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * about 1220 – gentle, meek.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1440 – skilful, dexterous.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1579 – neat, trim, now dialectal.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1647 – of actions, showing skill.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Quick and skilful; [[adroit]] or [[dexterous]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[deftly]]

+ * [[deftness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[daft]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House refers to ''dexterous'' for a discussion of synonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}