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g all rivals, has obtained an acknowledged supremacy in any branch of athetics or game of skill, and is ready to contend with any rival; as, the champion of England.

Undue pretensions to skill; quackery; wheedling; empiricism.

sentence; thus, If e'er to bless thy sons My voice or hands deny, These hands let useful skill forsake, This voice in silence die. Dwight.

The art of writing or engrossing; handwriting; as, skilled in chirography.

Care in selecting; judgment or skill in distinguishing what is to be preferred, and in giving a preference; discrimination. I imagine they [the apothegms of Cæsar] were collected with judgment and choice. Bacon.

A person who investigates dates of events and transactions; one skilled in chronology. That learned noise and dust of the chronologist is wholly to be avoided. Locke. THe most exact chronologers tell us that Christ was born in October, and not in December. John Knox.

One skilled in the civil law. Ancient civilians and writers upon government. Swift.

Adroit; skillful; dexterous; artful. [Obs.] Through his fine handling and his cleanly play. Spenser.

Possessing quickness of intellect, skill, dexterity, talent, or adroitness; expert. Though there were many clever men in England during the latter half of the seventeenth century, there were only two great creative minds. Macaulay. Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever. C. Kingsley.

The quality of being clever; skill; dexterity; adroitness.

d old shoes and clouted upon their feet. Josh. ix. 5. Paul, yea, and Peter, too, had more skill in . . . clouting an old tent than to teach lawyers. Latimer.

A cleft; a gap; a ravine; -- rarely used except as part of a proper name; as, Kaaterskill Clove; Stone Clove.

Without skill or grace; wanting dexterity, nimbleness, or readiness; stiff; awkward, as if benumbed; unwieldy; unhandy; hence; ill-made, misshapen, or inappropriate; as, a clumsy person; a clumsy workman; clumsy fingers; a clumsy gesture; a clumsy excuse. But thou in clumsy verse, unlicked, unpointed, Hast shamefully d…

Skill in driving a coach.

To hide. [Obs.] That by his fellowship he color might Both his estate and love from skill of any wight. Spenser.

; to accomplish. If I can chek my erring love, I will: If not, to compass her I'll use my skill. Shak. How can you to compass your designs Denham.

One skilled in compliments. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

To know; to understand; to acknowledge. [Obs.] Of muses, Hobbinol, I con no skill. Spenser. They say they con to heaven the highway. Spenser.

gainst the orchestra, or accompaniment, so as to display its qualities or the performer's skill.

Skillful guidance or management; generalship. Conduct of armies is a prince's art. Waller. Attacked the Spaniards . . . with great impetuosity, but with so little conduct, that his forces were totally routed. Robertson.