craft
English meaning: Craft
Definition
Strength; power; might; force .
Example
“Pottery is a craft that takes many years to master.”
Another example: “The negotiators worked hard to craft a deal acceptable to both sides.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Neutral to literary; a noun for a skilled trade or handicraft, the skill itself ('the writer's craft'), cunning ('full of craft'), or a boat/aircraft ('the craft sailed in'). Also a verb meaning to make skilfully. The 'cunning' sense is somewhat dated or literary.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Old English 'cræft' (power, skill, cunning), from Proto-Germanic 'kraftiz'; in use since before the 9th century, with the 'boat' sense from the 17th.
Synonyms
- cunning
- trade
- craftsmanship
- craftiness
- workmanship
- wiliness
- foxiness
- slyness
- guile
Related Words
Common Collocations
- arts and crafts
- craft beer
- craft a plan
- traditional craft
- craft skills
- landing craft
Word Forms
craft (n & v); crafts (pl); crafted; crafting; craftsman (n)
Word Tools
Tools & Calculators
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B