What does deft mean?
Word: Deft
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Deft means quick, neat and clever, especially in the way you use your hands.
Synonyms: nimble
Word origin: Middle English, from an older form of the word that meant gentle or mild.
How do you spell deft?
Syllables: deft
Tricky part: The t at the end is easy to lose in quick speech, which leaves the slip deff.
Watch out for: deff, defte
Memory tip: A deft left hand: those two words end the same way, so say them together and let the t ring out.
Deft in a sentence
Example 1: The tailor's deft fingers stitched the button back on in under a minute.
Example 2: With one deft flick of the wrist, Aisha sent the shuttlecock over the net.
Example 3: Mohan is deft at folding paper into tiny birds and boats.
Fun Fact
Cricket commentators often call a gentle glance or late cut a deft stroke, because the batter steers the ball with a small turn of the wrists rather than a big swing.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) adept
b) brisk
c) agile
d) deaft
Show answer
d) deaft. The vowel is a lone e, as in left; adept, agile and brisk need no change.
Word Champ
Choose the correct word for the blank:
With a few ___ movements of the shuttle, the old weaver mended the frayed edge of the shawl.
a) limp
b) vague
c) numb
d) deft
Show answer
d) deft. Mending a shawl in a few movements takes practised, clever hands.
Word Fusion
Choose the two parts that make the word described:
Neatly and with practised skill, as when a potter shapes clay: 1. ness 2. deft 3. ly 4. hope 5. ful 6. less
a) 2 and 3
b) 4 and 5
c) 2 and 1
d) 4 and 6
Show answer
a) 2 and 3. The description calls for an adverb, so the ending must be ly; the ending ness would give a noun.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its opposite:
1. deft 2. frugal 3. candid a. clumsy b. secretive c. wasteful
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
c) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
d) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
Show answer
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b. Someone frugal is careful with money and someone candid speaks openly, the reverse of wasteful and secretive.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Deft fingers matter most when you are ___.
a) reading the news
b) guarding a gate
c) repairing a watch
d) carrying a sack
Show answer
c) repairing a watch
2. A deft reply to a hard question is one that is ___.
a) skilful and well judged
b) late and poorly planned
c) long and very boring
d) rude and much too loud
Show answer
a) skilful and well judged
