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One skilled in simples, or medicinal plants; a simpler. Sir T. Browne.

ares. Instead of a faithful and painful teacher, they hire a Sir John, which hath better skill in playing at tables, or in keeping of a garden, than in God's word. Latimer.

A king of Corinth, son of Æolus, famed for his cunning. He was killed by Theseus, and in the lower world was condemned by Pluto to roll to the top of a hill a huge stone, which constantly rolled back again, making his task incessant.

In games of chance and skill: To defeat (an opponent) (as in cards) so that he fails to gain a point, or (in checkers) to get a king. [Colloq.

lap; to strike; to beat; to throw down violently. [Prov. Eng. & Colloq. U.S.] How did you kill him Slat[t]ed his brains out. Marston.

The act of killing. Specifically:

riveling from the mouth. Of all mad creatures, if the learned are right, It is the slaver kills, and not the bite. Pope.

To put to death with a weapon, or by violence; hence, to kill; to put an end to; to destroy. With this sword then will I slay you both. Chaucer. I will slay the last of them with the sword. Amos ix. 1. I'll slay more gazers than the basilisk. Shak.

One who slays; a killer; a murderer; a destrroyer of life.

Dexterous practice; dexterity; skill. Chaucer. "The juggler's sleight." Hudibras. Sleight of hand, legerdemain; prestidigitation.

ip, or become loose, by relaxation of the hand. We stalked over the extensive plains with Killbuck and Lena in the slips, in search of deer. Sir S. Baker.

Lit., skilled mechanical work, such as that required in wood carving; trade work; hence, a system (usually called the sloyd system) of manual training in the practical use of the tools and materials used in the trades, and of instruction in the making and use of the plans and specifications connected with trade work. T…

A boxing match or prize fight marked rather by heavy hitting than skill. [Cant or Slang]

Dexterous in performing an action, so as to escape notice; nimble; skillful; cautious; shrewd; knowing; -- in a good sense. Be ye sly as serpents, and simple as doves. Wyclif (Matt. x. 16). Whom graver age And long experience hath made wise and sly. Fairfax.

wledge of something; sciolism. I had a great desire, not able to attain to a superficial skill in any, to have some smattering in all. Burton.

To destroy the life of by beating, or by weapons of any kind; to slay by a blow; to kill; as, to smite one with the sword, or with an arrow or other instrument.

k movement; hence, a bite, morsel, or fragment; a scrap. He's a nimble fellow, And alike skilled in every liberal science, As having certain snaps of all. B. Jonson.

, why, so. Shak. There is Percy; if your father will do me any honor, so; if not, let him kill the next Percy himself. Shak.

A brave warrior; a man of military experience and skill, or a man of distinguished valor; -- used by way of emphasis or distinction. Shak.

Military qualities or state; martial skill; behavior becoming a soldier. [R.] Shak.