Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH-
Proto-Germanic *skilją
Old Norse skilbor.
Middle English skill
English skill
From Middle English skill, skille (also schil, schile), from 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).
Meanings
(UK, slang) Great, excellent.
Well, unfortunately for you, my dearest Waggipoos, I'm much more skill than you! 1987 June, Teresa Maughan, “Letters”, in Your Sinclair, number 18:
And I am skiller than you. 1999, Andy Smith, “I am well skill”, in alt.digitiser (Usenet):
This game is skill. Remember that because it's going to sound really complicated. 1991, Wreckers (video game review in Crash issue 88, May 1991)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH-
Proto-Germanic *skilją
Old Norse skilbor.
Middle English skill
English skill
From Middle English skill, skille (also schil, schile), from 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).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate.
Where did you pick up that skill?
I have heard the French-man hath good skill in his rapier. c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 45:
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.
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. 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], “The Old Punt: A Curious ‘Turnpike’”, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 20:
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. 2013 November 26, Simon Hoggart, “Araucaria's last puzzle: crossword master dies”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 26, page 43:
(countable, qualifier:artificial intelligence, uncountable) A reusable configuration (prompt) that defines how an AI agent performs a specific task.
Methinks I should know you, and know this man;
Yet I am doubtful; for I am mainly ignorant
What place this is; and all the skill I have
Remembers not these garments; nor I know not
Where I did lodge last night. […] c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:
Him so I sought, and so at last I fownd
Where him that witch had thralled to her will,
In chaines of lust and lewde desyres ybownd
And so transformed from his former skill,
That me he knew not, nether his owne ill; 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, , stanzas 1-5, page 54:
“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?” 1902, John Buchan, “The Outgoing of the Tide”, in The Watcher by the Threshold, and other tales, Edinburgh; London: W. Blackwood & Sons, page 245:
[…] This desert soil
Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art from whence to raise
Magnificence […] 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
And Howell Dha shall goodly well indew
The salvage minds with skill of just and trew; 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, , stanzas 4-5, page 45:
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) Display of art; exercise of ability; contrivance; address.
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. 1639, Thomas Fuller, “Richard of England and Philip of France Set Forward to the Holy Land; the Danger of the Interviews of Princes”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book III, page 118:
es destreza (capacity to do something well) · ia habilitate (capacity to do something well) · he מְיֻמָּנוּת (capacity to do something well) · gl habilidade (capacity to do something well) · fr compétence (capacity to do something well) · gl destrez (capacity to do something well) · es maña (capacity to do something well) · he כִּשּׁוּרִים (capacity to do something well) · es pericia (capacity to do something well) · sk schopnosť (capacity to do something well) · ja 技術 (capacity to do something well) · es talento (capacity to do something well) · hu hozzáértés (capacity to do something well) · la potentia (capacity to do something well) · no ferdighet (capacity to do something well) · ang cræft (capacity to do something well) · cmn 技能 (capacity to do something well) · fr don (capacity to do something well) · bg уме́ние (capacity to do something well) · lv prasme (capacity to do something well) · cs schopnost (capacity to do something well) · no evne (capacity to do something well) · ru дар (capacity to do something well) · el δεξιοτεχνία (capacity to do something well) · udm ӧнер (capacity to do something well) · is leikni (capacity to do something well) · af vaardigheid (capacity to do something well) · hi कुशलता (capacity to do something well) · ms skil (capacity to do something well) · sh veština (capacity to do something well) · fr habileté (capacity to do something well) · khb ᦞᦲᧉᦌᦱ (capacity to do something well) · vo skil (capacity to do something well) · ro abilitate (capacity to do something well) · pl umiejętność (capacity to do something well) · sl veščina (capacity to do something well) · fi kyky (capacity to do something well) · fi taito (capacity to do something well) · ja 腕 (capacity to do something well) · tr kabiliyet (capacity to do something well) · la sollertia (capacity to do something well) · nl bekwaamheid (capacity to do something well) · mr कौशल्य (capacity to do something well) · sv färdighet (capacity to do something well) · bg вещина (capacity to do something well) · tr hüner (capacity to do something well) · ru мастерство́ (capacity to do something well) · it abilità (capacity to do something well) · hi निपुणता (capacity to do something well) · no talent (capacity to do something well) · eo lerteco lerto (capacity to do something well) · hi महारत (capacity to do something well) · cmn 技巧 (capacity to do something well) · te నేర్పు (capacity to do something well) · uk на́вик (capacity to do something well) · ru сноро́вка (capacity to do something well) · gl despexo (capacity to do something well) · id keahlian (capacity to do something well) · te నిపుణత (capacity to do something well) · ta திறன் (capacity to do something well) · ota هنر (capacity to do something well) · sl spretnost (capacity to do something well) · tr beceri (capacity to do something well) · da kundskab (capacity to do something well) · el επιδεξιότητα (capacity to do something well) · no ferdigheit (capacity to do something well) · hu ügyesség (capacity to do something well) · fo hegni (capacity to do something well) · fo kunstur (capacity to do something well) · kix vāimūa (capacity to do something well) · id kemampuan (capacity to do something well) · be майстэ́рства (capacity to do something well) · lv iemaņas (capacity to do something well) · be на́вык (capacity to do something well) · tr yetenek (capacity to do something well) · it capacità (capacity to do something well) · ru на́вык (capacity to do something well) · hi कौशल (capacity to do something well) · pt talento (capacity to do something well) · sh вештина (capacity to do something well) · ja 技巧 (capacity to do something well) · la potestās (capacity to do something well) · nrf agenceté (capacity to do something well) · ca habilitat (capacity to do something well) · bg сръчност (capacity to do something well) · no dyktighet (capacity to do something well) · sh вјештина (capacity to do something well) · is færni (capacity to do something well) · fo fimi (capacity to do something well) · ca destresa (capacity to do something well) · ru тала́нт (capacity to do something well) · tr marifet (capacity to do something well) · ar مَهَارَة (capacity to do something well) · ru уме́ние (capacity to do something well) · fo kynstur (capacity to do something well) · gl doén (capacity to do something well) · ja 技 (capacity to do something well) · es habilidad (capacity to do something well) · ja 技能 (capacity to do something well) · be уме́нне (capacity to do something well) · no talent (capacity to do something well) · mk вештина (capacity to do something well) · fa اروین (capacity to do something well) · et oskus (capacity to do something well) · be уме́льства (capacity to do something well) · tr ustalık (capacity to do something well) · tr maharet (capacity to do something well) · de Fähigkeit (capacity to do something well) · nl vaardigheid (capacity to do something well) · ga scil (capacity to do something well) · fa مهارت (capacity to do something well) · sq aftësi (capacity to do something well) · da færdighed (capacity to do something well) · sh vještina (capacity to do something well) · ro pricepere (capacity to do something well) · de Fertigkeit (capacity to do something well) · la ars (capacity to do something well) · txb epastyäññe (capacity to do something well) · gl azareña (capacity to do something well) · pt habilidade (capacity to do something well) · mt sengħa (capacity to do something well) · ja スキル (capacity to do something well) · uk вмі́ння (capacity to do something well) · ms kemahiran (capacity to do something well) · uk майсте́рство (capacity to do something well) · gl chencha (capacity to do something well) · es primor (capacity to do something well) · it competenza (capacity to do something well) · no evne (capacity to do something well) · da evne (capacity to do something well) · lt įgūdis (capacity to do something well) · ota صنعت (capacity to do something well) · de Geschicklichkeit (capacity to do something well) · ru иску́сство (capacity to do something well) · ko 스킬 (capacity to do something well) · eo bravuro (capacity to do something well) · sv skicklighet (capacity to do something well) · gl maña (capacity to do something well) · hy ունակություն (capacity to do something well) · fr capacité (capacity to do something well) · gl xeito (capacity to do something well) · la perītia (capacity to do something well) · gl habelencia (capacity to do something well) · no dyktigheit (capacity to do something well) · eu ahal (capacity to do something well) · cmn 技術 /技术 (capacity to do something well) · no dugleik (capacity to do something well) · el ικανότητα (capacity to do something well) · ia talento (capacity to do something well) · no dugleik (capacity to do something well) · ko 기술 (capacity to do something well) · hy հմտություն (capacity to do something well) · oc abiletat (capacity to do something well) · ru спосо́бность (capacity to do something well) · la habilitas (capacity to do something well)
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”).
Meanings
(transitive) To set apart; separate.
(dialectal, transitive) To discern; have knowledge or understanding; to know how (to).
I cannot skill of these Thy ways […] 1633, George Herbert, “Justice”, in The Temple:
(Northern-England, Scotland, dialectal, rare, transitive) To know; to understand.
As for the virginals I have none here that skill of them, except the young lord. 1613, Breadalbane Letters, Documents:
17th century, Isaac Barrow, “On Industry in Our Particular Calling as Scholars,”
[…] to skill the arts of expressing our mind and imparting our conceptions with advantage, so as to instruct or persuade others […]
(intransitive) To have knowledge or comprehension; discern.
(intransitive) To have personal or practical knowledge; be versed or practised; be expert or dextrous.
(archaic, intransitive) To make a difference; signify; matter.
What skills it, if a bag of stones or gold
About thy neck do drown thee? 1633, George Herbert, “The Church Porch”, in The Temple:
But it skills not talking of it. 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC:
So then the whole scripture of God, being true, whence soever this be delivered and gathered, it skilleth not […] 1592, Richard Turnbull, An Exposition upon the Canonicall Epistle of Saint Jude, London: John Windet, Sermon 5, p. 67:
[…] 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. c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]: