All 5 Uses of
dexterity
in
Utopia, by Thomas More
- The Margrave of Bruges was their head, and the chief man among them; but he that was esteemed the wisest, and that spoke for the rest, was George Temse, the Provost of Casselsee: both art and nature had concurred to make him eloquent: he was very learned in the law; and, as he had a great capacity, so, by a long practice in affairs, he was very dexterous at unravelling them.†
dexterous = skillful
- You are not obliged to assault people with discourses that are out of their road, when you see that their received notions must prevent your making an impression upon them: you ought rather to cast about and to manage things with all the dexterity in your power, so that, if you are not able to make them go well, they may be as little ill as possible; for, except all men were good, everything cannot be right, and that is a blessing that I do not at present hope to see.†
- I do not comprehend what you mean by your 'casting about,' or by 'the bending and handling things so dexterously that, if they go not well, they may go as little ill as may be;†
dexterously = adroitly (skillfully)
- And in no victory do they glory so much as in that which is gained by dexterity and good conduct without bloodshed.†
*
- It is hard to tell whether they are more dexterous in laying or avoiding ambushes.†
dexterous = skillful
Definition:
adroitness (skill) -- with the hands or mind