23 March 2014

adroit

[uh-droit]

adjective

1. expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body.
2. cleverly skillful, resourceful, or ingenious: an adroit debater.

Origin:

1645–55; < French, Old French: elegant, skillful, equivalent to a- a-5 + droit, dreit straight, just, correct < Latin dīrēctus; see direct

Related forms
a·droit·ly, adverb
a·droit·ness, noun
un·a·droit, adjective
un·a·droit·ly, adverb
un·a·droit·ness, noun

Can be confused: adroit, à droite.

Synonyms
1. skillful, clever; deft, apt, adept. 1, 2. See dexterous.

Antonyms
1. clumsy.

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Today’s quote

The great are only great because we are on our knees. Let us rise!

– Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

On this day

24 March 1958 – Elvis Presley is conscripted into the U.S. Army as a Private. He was discharged on 2 March 1960 with the rank of Sergeant.

24 March 1989 – the oil-tanker, Exxon Valdez, is seriously damaged after running aground on a reef in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. Over 11 million gallons of crude oil was released, resulting in a five mile oil slick, which caused severe environmental damage, including the deaths of 250,000 birds, 3,000 sea otters, 300 seals, 22 killer whales and an untold number of fish.

24 March 1973 – Pink Floyd release their iconic ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ album, which is the 6th best-selling album of all time with over 40 million sales worldwide.