craft en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈkɹɑːft/ (General-South-African, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈkɹäːft/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
- /ˈkɹɐ̞ːft/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
- /ˈkɹæft/ (Canadian, General-American, Standard)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *krafjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *kraftuz Proto-West Germanic *kraftu Old English cræft Middle English craft English craft Inherited from Middle English craft (“strength, skill”), from Old English cræft (“strength, skill”), from Proto-West Germanic *kraftu, from Proto-Germanic *kraftuz (“strength, power”); further origin obscure. Cognate with Dutch kracht (“strength, power, force”), German Kraft (“strength, power, force, energy, employee”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish kraft (“strength, power, force”), Faroese and Icelandic kraftur (“strength”).
Meanings
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(obsolete, uncountable) Strength; power; might; force .
By the craft of nature.
1526, William Bonde, Pylgrimage of Perfection:
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(countable, uncountable) Intellectual power; skill; art. ▸ Ability, skillfulness, especially skill in making plans and carrying them into execution; dexterity in managing affairs, adroitness, practical cunning; ingenuity in constructing, dexterity .
England should have had enough against a very ordinary Russia to complete the job but Rooney's removal robbed them of his craft and guidance and now increases the pressure on Thursday's meeting with Wales in Lens.
2016 June 11, Phil McNulty, “England 1-1 Russia”, in BBC Sport:The Cyclôpes were Brontês, Steropês, and Argês,—formidable persons, equally distinguished for strength and for manual craft […]
1846, George Grote, A history of Greece:
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(countable, uncountable) Intellectual power; skill; art. ▸ Cunning, art, skill, or dexterity applied to bad purposes; artifice; guile; subtlety; shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception .
[…] you have that Crooked Wisdome, which is called Craft […]
1651, Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC:We have not the strength with which to fight this man; we must dissimulate, and win, if win we can, by craft.
1904, Jack London, The Sea-Wolf (Macmillan’s Standard Library), New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC:[…]and the chiefe Priests, and the Scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 14:1:
- (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Intellectual power; skill; art. ▸ Occult art, magic .
- (countable, in the general sense, obsolete) A work or product of art .
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(collective, countable, in the general sense, obsolete, plural, uncountable) A work or product of art . ▸ Handmade items, especially domestic or decorative objects; handicrafts .
[Canton] has a large export trade in hand-made crafts, ivory and furniture.
1911 January 14, Timberman:
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(countable, obsolete) A device, a means; a magical device, spell or enchantment .
For your entente I shall a craft devise […] That ye shall haue your purpose euery dele.
c. 1440, Generydes. A royal historie of the excellent knight Generides:
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(countable, obsolete) Learning of the schools, scholarship; a branch of learning or knowledge, a science, especially one of the ‘seven liberal arts’ of the medieval universities .
[…] Þe seuen craftes all he can […]
a. 1325, Cursor Mundi, page 272:
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(uncountable) Skill, skilfulness, art, especially the skill needed for a particular profession .
A poem […] is the work of the poet; the end and fruit of his labour and study. Poesy is his skill or craft of making; the very fiction itself, the reason or form of the work.
1640, Ben Jonson, Timber: or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter, page 213:It is counted […] good workmanship in a Joyner, to have the craft of bearing his hand so curiously even, the whole length of a long Board.
1678, Joseph Moxon, Mechanick exercises, or The doctrine of handy-works:The craft of writing plays.
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(countable, plural) A branch of skilled work or trade, especially one requiring manual dexterity or artistic skill, but sometimes applied equally to any business, calling or profession; the skilled practice of a practical occupation .
Fond as William was of the craft of the woods, he was the least likely of all men to let his sport stand in the way of his interest.
1871, Edward Augustus Freeman, The history of the Norman conquest, page 250:This was billed as the battle between Kane and his Poland opposite number Lewandowski but this was a game where it was possible to simply enjoy two masters of their craft at work.
2021 September 8, Phil McNulty, “Poland 1-1 England”, in BBC Sport:[…] For since the birth of time, throughout all ages and nations, / Has the craft of the smith been held in repute by the people.
1847, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie, page 281:The carpenter's craft.
The great preachers were masters of their craft.
1991, James Munson, The Nonconformists: In Search of a Lost Culture, page 113:He learned his craft as an apprentice.
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(countable) A trade or profession as embodied in its practitioners collectively; the members of a trade or handicraft as a body; an association of these; a trade's union, guild, or ‘company’ .
She represented the craft of brewers.
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(countable, qualifier:plural craft) A vehicle designed for navigation in or on water or air or through outer space .
Thanks to British designer Ross Kemp, the world has been graced with a solar-powered watercraft that costs just a third of the price of your average powered water craft.
2013 August 6, Monique Rivilland, “This ski and surf combo could save your life”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 18 Feb 2015:
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(countable, qualifier:plural craft, uncountable) A vehicle designed for navigation in or on water or air or through outer space . ▸ Boats, especially of smaller size than ships. Historically primarily applied to vessels engaged in loading or unloading of other vessels, as lighters, hoys, and barges.
Quite near could also be seen several ancient wooden warships, and always a variety of craft slipping up and down the tideway.
1951 October, R. S. McNaught, “Lines of Approach”, in Railway Magazine, page 705:
- (British-Royal-Navy, countable, qualifier:plural craft, uncountable) A vehicle designed for navigation in or on water or air or through outer space . ▸ Those vessels attendant on a fleet, such as cutters, schooners, and gunboats, generally commanded by lieutenants.
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(countable, figuratively, qualifier:plural craft, uncountable) A vehicle designed for navigation in or on water or air or through outer space . ▸ A woman.
“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; and she looked it, always trim and trig and smooth of surface like a converted yacht cleared for action.
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
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(countable) Implements used in catching fish, such as net, line, or hook. Modern use primarily in whaling, as in harpoons, hand-lances, etc. .
And whereas the continual Interruption of the Courſe and Paſſage of the Fiſh up the Rivers, by the daily drawing of Seins and other Fiſh-Craft, tends to prevent their Increaſe,[…]
a. 1784, T. Green, “An Act for encouraging and regulating Fiſheries”, in Acts and Laws of the State of Connecticut, in America, page 79:The whaling craft consists of harpoons, lances, lines, and sealskin buoys, all of their own workmanship.
1869 April 27, C. M. Scammon, “On the Cetaceans of the Western Coast of North America”, in Edward D. Cope, editor, Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, volume 21, page 46:[…]Temple, a negro of New Bedford, who made ‘whalecraft’, that is, was a blacksmith engaged in working from iron the special utensils or ‘craft’ of the whaling trade.
1950, Discovery Reports, volume 26, Cambridge University Press, page 318:From the mate’s boat they removed, at his direction, all whaling gear and craft except the oars and a single lance.
a. 1923, Charles Boardman Hawes, “A Boy Who Went Whaling”, in The Highest Hit: and Other Selections by Newbery Authors, Gareth Stevens Publishing, published 2001, →ISBN, page 47:The men raced about decks collecting the whaling craft and gear and putting them into the boats, while all the time the lookouts hollered from above.
1991, Joan Druett, Petticoat Whalers: Whaling Wives at Sea, 1820–1920, University Press of New England, published 2001, →ISBN, page 55:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| crafts | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| craft | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
novelcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftsmaster (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · undercraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · smithcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · minecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft knife (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftswoman (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft show (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftsome (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftmaking (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · small craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · warcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · gypsycraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftman (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · writercraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · rotorcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · hydrofoil craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · starcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · silvercraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · homecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft service (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · aircraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · handcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · authorcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft fair (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · sailcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · subcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft brew (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · shuttlecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · campcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · crafternoon (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · personal water craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · hobbycraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftist (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · arts and crafts (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · fellowcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · Minecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · smallcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · flightcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftaholic (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · folkcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · sense of craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftworking (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · mooncraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · fibrecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · knifecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · stonecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · needlecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · aerocraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · runecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · pistolcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · recraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft services (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · flycraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftsperson (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · tradecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · yarncraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · CardCraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · landing craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft beer (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · spycraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · nanocraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · statecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · gardencraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · popcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftlike (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · schoolcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · roadcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · papercraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · housecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · elf-craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · witchcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · multicraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · hovercraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · pleasure craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · watercraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · wildcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · versecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft store (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftful (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftworker (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · spellcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft centre (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · soulcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · boarding craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · gentle craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftsy (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftivist (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · strawcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · countercraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftless (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · ghostcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craft brewery (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · spacecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · goldcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · sugarcraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · landing craft tank (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftivism (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · the craft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · crafty (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftwork (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · craftmaster (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · Klankraft (Terms derived from craft (noun)) · stagecraft (Terms derived from craft (noun))
Synonyms
witchcraft · craftiness · ability · force · bewitchery · facility · spell · wile · ability · craft · gypsycraft · touch · talent · spellwork · dark arts · goety · lucky charm · dexterity · mojo · touch · knack · slyness · strength · list · potential · cunning · potence · incantation · periapt · proficiency · sorcery · capability · sortilege · skill · dwimmer · authority · proficiency · guile · magic · witchwork · wandwork · prowess · talisman · skill · list · charmwork · potential · competency · dexterity · talent · knack · goety · competence · might · mojo · handicraft · craft · competence · moxie · touch · cantrip · conjuration · jugglery · pishogue · technique · dexterity · talisman · prowess · list · obeah · technique · art · witchdom · wonderworking · profession · aptitude · foxship · black arts · foxiness · tekkers · magic spell · potential · cunning · tekkers · fetish · technique · facility · moxie · guile · proficiency · witchery · chantment · proficiency · knack · capacity · thaumaturgy · dweomercraft · dwimmer · facility · capacity · ease · technique · sorcery · phylactery · technique · slyness · hex · hand · juju · disposition · art · foxiness · spellword · competency · dwimmer · craftiness · subtlety · mojo · wiliness · competency · whistness · warlockry · protection · wanga · ease · amulet · makutu · charm · virtue · competence · charm · power · abet · conjuring · magic · mascot · proficiency · business · hex · capability · enchantment · dwimmercraft · druidcraft · wizardcraft · talent · conjuration · capacity · rune · proficiency · enchantment · madstone · black art · moxie · hexerei · wanga · wiliness · strength · potence · spellcraft · hand · beguilement · list · cunning · potency · cunning · telesm · ability · charm · trade · hand · prowess · tekkers · workmanship · ease · diablerie · craft · craft · aptitude · cunning · hexcraft · craft · craft · wizardry · craft · technique · craft · token · capability · skill · craftsmanship · dodge · spellcasting · aptitude
Translations (139)
fi kalastusvälineet (nautical: fishing or whaling implements) · es nave (vehicle designed for navigation) · nl vakmanschap (skill in one's work) · de Gerissenheit (cunning, shrewdness) · el σκάφος (vehicle designed for navigation) · de Innung (members of a trade collectively) · ota هنر (skill in one's work) · he אֻמָּנוּת (skilled practice of practical occupation) · gl vértulo (skill in one's work) · he מְלָאכָה (skilled practice of practical occupation) · ota تكنه (nautical: boats, especially of smaller size than ships) · fi ammattitaito (skill in one's work) · ar حِرْفَة (skilled practice of practical occupation) · lv amats (skilled practice of practical occupation) · sv slöjd (skilled practice of practical occupation) · sh за̀на̄т (skill in one's work) · pt engenhosidade (cunning, shrewdness) · fi kilta (members of a trade collectively) · nn farkost (vehicle designed for navigation) · la ars (skill in one's work) · tr beceri (skilled practice of practical occupation) · fi alus (vehicle designed for navigation) · de Gilde (members of a trade collectively) · tr beceri (skill in one's work) · ba һөнәр (skilled practice of practical occupation) · sv hantverk (skilled practice of practical occupation) · de Lenkfahrzeug (vehicle designed for navigation) · ar صَنْعَة (skilled practice of practical occupation) · gl doén (skill in one's work) · ga soitheach (vehicle designed for navigation) · es pericia (skill in one's work) · uk хи́трість (cunning, shrewdness) · cs řemeslo (skilled practice of practical occupation) · uk ремесло́ (skilled practice of practical occupation) · sh preprèdenōst (cunning, shrewdness) · de Zunft (members of a trade collectively) · cs plavidlo (vehicle designed for navigation) · ga ceardaíocht (skilled practice of practical occupation) · nb farkost (vehicle designed for navigation) · tr elişi (skilled practice of practical occupation) · la ars (skilled practice of practical occupation) · sh zànāt (skill in one's work) · fi peli (figuratively: woman) · hy արհեստ (skill in one's work) · sh за̀на̄т (skilled practice of practical occupation) · sh zànāt (skilled practice of practical occupation) · eo fako (skilled practice of practical occupation) · tr maharet (skill in one's work) · ru ремесло́ (skilled practice of practical occupation) · mt artiġjanat (skilled practice of practical occupation) · tr cingözlülük (cunning, shrewdness) · fi veneet (nautical: boats, especially of smaller size than ships) · is iðngrein (particular kind of skilled work) · sh obrtništvo (skilled practice of practical occupation) · sh zanátstvo (skilled practice of practical occupation) · nl gewiekstheid (cunning, shrewdness) · mi mahi toi (skill in one's work) · fi ammattitaito (skilled practice of practical occupation) · ota تكنه (vehicle designed for navigation) · sh препрѐдено̄ст (cunning, shrewdness) · bg занаят (skilled practice of practical occupation) · nl toestel (vehicle designed for navigation) · da håndværk (skilled practice of practical occupation) · ota صنعت (skill in one's work) · sh занатство (skilled practice of practical occupation) · tr zanaat (skilled practice of practical occupation) · pt perícia (skill in one's work) · uk лука́вство (cunning, shrewdness) · ga ceardaíocht (skill in one's work) · sv farkost (vehicle designed for navigation) · uk впра́вність (skill in one's work) · tr açıkgözlülük (cunning, shrewdness) · ota قورنازلق (cunning, shrewdness) · it mestiere (skilled practice of practical occupation) · de Handwerk (skilled practice of practical occupation) · tr gemi (vehicle designed for navigation) · mt sengħa (skilled practice of practical occupation) · de Durchtriebenheit (cunning, shrewdness) · fi oveluus (cunning, shrewdness) · bg професия (skilled practice of practical occupation) · uk спі́лка (members of a trade collectively) · sh obrt (skilled practice of practical occupation) · ga árthach (vehicle designed for navigation) · be рамяство (skilled practice of practical occupation) · bg плавателен съд (vehicle designed for navigation) · es oficio (skilled practice of practical occupation) · bg ловкост (skill in one's work) · la ars (vehicle designed for navigation) · ru иску́сство (skill in one's work) · tr zekâ (cunning, shrewdness) · pt nave (vehicle designed for navigation) · gl xeito (skill in one's work) · nl voertuig (vehicle designed for navigation) · eo ruzeco (cunning, shrewdness) · hy արհեստ (skilled practice of practical occupation) · fi ammattikunta (members of a trade collectively) · fi ammatti (particular kind of skilled work) · ja 職業 (skill in one's work) · ru уме́ние (skill in one's work) · ru хи́трость (cunning, shrewdness) · uk вмі́ння (skill in one's work) · gl arxil (skill in one's work) · is iðn (skilled practice of practical occupation) · it abilità (skill in one's work) · bg хитрост (cunning, shrewdness) · pt ofício (skilled practice of practical occupation) · gl habilidade (skill in one's work) · eo metio (skilled practice of practical occupation) · fr ruse (cunning, shrewdness) · da fartøj (vehicle designed for navigation) · fi johtamistaito (skill in making plans and carrying them into execution) · pl rzemiosło (skilled practice of practical occupation) · de Schlauheit (cunning, shrewdness) · pt habilidade (skill in one's work) · fr nef (vehicle designed for navigation) · ga bád (vehicle designed for navigation) · nl vak (skilled practice of practical occupation) · de Fahrzeug (vehicle designed for navigation) · mi mahi-ā-rehe (particular kind of skilled work) · ota صنعت (skilled practice of practical occupation) · ba оҫталыҡ (skill in one's work) · tr kurnazlık (cunning, shrewdness) · tr hüner (skill in one's work) · uk майсте́рність (skill in one's work) · fi viekkaus (cunning, shrewdness) · fi valaanpyyntivälineet (nautical: fishing or whaling implements) · tr ustalık (skill in one's work) · lt amatas (skilled practice of practical occupation) · fr métier (skilled practice of practical occupation) · nl stiel (skilled practice of practical occupation) · gl mestría (skill in one's work) · ga ceird (skilled practice of practical occupation) · bg занаят (particular kind of skilled work) · tr uyanıklık (cunning, shrewdness) · de Handwerk (skill in one's work) · sh obrt (skill in one's work) · ru сноро́вка (skill in one's work) · pt arte (skilled practice of practical occupation) · bg умение (skill in one's work)