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ng difficulty; ready in invention or execution; -- applied to persons and to acts; as, an adroit mechanic, an adroit reply. "Adroit in the application of the telescope and quadrant." Horsley. "He was adroit in intrigue." Macaulay.

In an adroit manner.

The quality of being adroit; skill and readiness; dexterity. Adroitness was as requisite as courage. Motley.

Of a quality opposed to adroitness; clumsy; awkward; unskillful. -- Mal"a*droit`ly, adv. -- Mal`a*droit"ness, n.

Skill; skillful management; dexterity; adroitness.

A charm; an incantation; a shell; a trick; adroit mischief. [Written also cantraip.] [Scot.]

Free from awkwardness; not bungling; adroit; dexterous; as, aclean trick; a clean leap over a fence.

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.

f the mental powers; quickness and skill in managing any complicated or difficult affair; adroitness. His wisdom . . . was turned . . . into a dexterity to deliver himself. Bacon. He had conducted his own defense with singular boldness and dexterity. Hallam.

Act of eluding; adroit escape, as by artifice; a mockery; a cheat; trickery.

Tending to elude; using arts or deception to escape; adroitly escaping or evading; eluding the grasp; fallacious. Elusive of the bridal day, she gives Fond hopes to all, and all with hopes deceives. Pope. -- E*lu"sive*ly, adv. -- E*lu"sive*ness, n.

In a skillful or dexterous manner; adroitly; with readiness and accuracy.

Skill; adroitness. [Archaic] Johnson.

Skillful in using the hand; dexterous; ready; adroit. "Each is handy in his way." Dryden.

Witty; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious; as, an ingenious reply.

Management with address or artful design; adroit proceeding; stratagem.

Excellent in character, skill, or performance, etc.; nice; finished; adroit; as, a neat design; a neat thief.

One versed in tactics; hence, a skillful maneuverer; an adroit manager.