Search the Dictionary

w in its aspect of the foundation of rights; also, in old law, the writ of right. Abbott. Droit d'aubaine. See under Aubaine. -- Droits of the Admiralty (Eng. Law), rights or perquisites of the Admiralty, arising from seizure of an enemy's ships in port on the breaking out of war, or those coming into port in ignoranc…

elating to the mere right of property, as distinguished from the right of possession; as, droitural actions. [Obs.] Burrill.

See Drosky.

g 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.

Succession to the goods of a stranger not naturalized. Littré. Droit d'aubaine (, the right, formerly possessed by the king of France, to all the personal property of which an alien died possessed. It was abolished in 1819. Bouvier.

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.

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.

drawn by one or two horses, and used as a public carriage in German cities. [Written also droitzschka, and droschke.]

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.