释义 |
proficient, a. and n.|prəʊˈfɪʃənt| [ad. L. prōficiens, -ent-em, pres. pple. of prōficĕre to advance, make progress, profit, be useful, f. prō, pro-1 + facĕre, -ficĕre to do, make. So OF. proficient (15th c. in Godef.) productive.] A. adj. †1. Going forward or advancing towards perfection; making progress, improving: opposed to perfect. Obs. rare.
1615W. Hull Mirr. Maiestie 126 He is all-sufficient; neither deficient, nor proficient, because he is perfect and all sufficient. 1658Phillips, Proficient, helping forward, or profiting. 2. Advanced in the acquirement of some kind of skill; skilled; adept, expert.
c1590Marlowe Faust. iii. 28 Who would not be proficient in this art? 1784Cowper Task iv. 145 No powder'd pert, proficient in the art Of sounding an alarm. 1801Southey Let. to C. W. W. Wynn 21 Feb. in Life (1805) II. 132 The art..in which they were so proficient, may now be turned successfully against them. 1878Holbrook Hyg. Brain 41 There are some subjects none can become proficient in. 1892Greener Breech-Loader 189 To become proficient in the use of the gun. B. n. †1. A learner who makes progress in something: opposed to one who is perfect. Obs.
1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 19, I am so good a proficient in one quarter of an houre, that I can drinke with any Tinker in his owne Language. 1678R. L'Estrange Seneca's Mor. (1776) 334 These..are but proficients, and not yet arrived at the state of wisdom. 1721R. Keith tr. T. à Kempis' Solil. Soul xii. 194 He is the Way to Beginners, the Truth to Proficients, and Life to the more Perfect. 1742Young Nt. Th. v. 165 The world's a school Of wrong, and what proficients swarm around We must or imitate, or disapprove. 2. One who has made good progress in some art or branch of learning; an advanced pupil or scholar; an expert, an adept.
1610Healey St. Aug. City of God x. xxvii. 396 The great proficients of righteousnesse. 1616Bullokar Eng. Expos., Proficient, one that hath well profited. 1651Life Father Sarpi (1676) 6 Who..became in short time so great a proficient, that he was capable of the more solid Arts. 1661E. Barker Fun. Serm. Lady E. Capell 4 Every pious man is an humble modest man, and never reckons himself a perfect proficient. 1711Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) III. Misc. v. i. 238 A Man of reading, and advanc'd in Letters, like a Proficient in the kind. 1816W. Hollar Dance of Death 67 He..became so distinguished a proficient in polite learning, that he opened a school in his monastery for teaching the sons of the nobility the..elegancies of composition. 1868Freeman Norm. Conq. II. x. 438 The architect, painter, and general proficient in the arts. †3. A thing that helps or conduces to progress.
1602Heywood Wom. Kilde Wks. 1874 II. 102, I am studied in all Arts; The riches of my thoughts, and of my time, Haue beene a good proficient. Hence proˈficiently adv., with proficiency; with some skill; skilfully.
1835Beckford Recoll. 104 Twanging away most proficiently. 1843Hardy in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club II. No. 11. 65 note, They could not proficiently tint their woollen cloth. |