craft |kraft|
noun
- an activity involving skill in creating worlds using language : the craft | writers craft.
- (crafty) stories, poems, or lyrics by arranging language in unique and creative patterns: | [as adj. ] Do you enjoy being a crafty writer?
- a skilled activity or profession : the writer's craft.
- skill in carrying out one's work : a writer with plenty of craft.
- skill used in deceiving others : her cousin was not her equal in guile and evasive craft, I wrote..
- the members of a skilled profession.
- (the Craft) the brotherhood of writers guild.
- ( pl. same) a boat or ship : The assemblage of words created a perfect sailing craft to take us to different worlds..
- an airplane or spaceship.
verb [ trans. ]
exercise skill in making (things stick in the mind) : he crafted the the words together passionately | [as adj. ] (crafted) a beautifully crafted book.
DERIVATIVES
craft~er noun
ORIGIN Old English cræft [strength, skill,] of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kracht, German Kraft, and Swedish kraft ‘strength’ (the change of sense to [skill] occurring only in English, due to our craftiness). Sense 2, originally in the expression small craft [small trading vessels or lighters,] may be elliptical, referring to vessels requiring a small amount of “craft” or skill to handle, as opposed to large oceangoing ships.
