expertn.
/ˈɛkspəːt/, U.S. /ˈɛkˌspərt/ 1. A person who is expert or has gained skill from experience. Const. at, in, with.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > [noun] > skilful person > expert
grand master1590
adept1674
dab1691
dabster1708
dab hand1828
dead-hand1848
ringer1848
expert1853
skull1880
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. (1856) xxxiii. 283 Every man arranged his knapsack and blanket-bag..with the practiced discretion of an expert.
1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. I. xi. 24 Hans Christian..an expert with the kayak and javelin.
1866 J. E. T. Rogers Hist. Agric. & Prices I. xxi. 523 Such manors as possessed wood generally containing an expert at hurdle~making.
1882 A. W. Ward Dickens iv. 100 He was frank and explicit with experts, in the writer's art.
2.
a. A person regarded or consulted as an authority on account of special skill, training, or knowledge; a specialist. Also attributive, as in expert evidence, expert witness, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > scholarly knowledge, erudition > learned person, scholar > [noun] > expert, specialist, authority
masterc1225
historian?a1439
authentic1613
scientiate1647
supernaturalist1659
authority1665
connoisseur1732
pundit1816
expert1825
specialist1839
past master1840
sharp1840
professional1846
beggar1859
specializer1868
passed master1882
buff1903
man1921
sharpshooter1942
sharpie1949
watcher1966
meister1975
1825 Act 6 George IV c. 59 §4 The nomination of experts to ascertain and fix the price.
1858 Sat. Rev. 6 645/1 Experts in insanity.
1869 J. E. T. Rogers in A. Smith Inq. Wealth Nations (new ed.) I. Pref. 11 Misled by the selfish misrepresentations of reputed experts.
1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country iii. 184 Purchase at the price adjudged By experts.
1884 Pall Mall Gaz. 22 Sept. 6/1 An expert court of first instance..might be of use.
1890 Law Times' Rep. 63 684/2 A mining engineer and expert of well-known reputation.
b. spec. One skilled in the study of handwritings.
ΚΠ
1858 Sat. Rev. 5 656/1 Professional experts swear to their belief in the peeress's authorship.
1868 E. Edwards Life Sir W. Ralegh I. xix. 385 The obliterated names can scarcely..be read by the most painstaking expert.
1882 Standard 21 Oct. 2/5 To him [Netherclift] the term ‘Expert’ was first applied.
1886 W. Besant Children of Gibeon II. ii. xiii. 196 My writing was well known; experts swore that the forgery was by me.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
expertadj.1
/ˈɛkspəːt/, /ɛkˈspəːt/, U.S. /ˈɛkˌspərt/, /ɛkˈspərt/ I. In active sense.† 1.
a. Experienced (in), having experience (of). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > non-possession > [adjective] > devoid of something
nakedeOE
toomOE
windia1225
skerec1250
freea1325
expertc1374
unbeseen1390
vacanta1400
devoidc1400
indigent1490
waste1513
clear1569
divesta1679
viduate1692
innocent1706
divested1742
sincerea1754
virgin1889
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > knowledge, what is known > experience > [adjective]
expertc1374
experientc1420
experimentalc1449
experted1475
experienced1576
self-experienced1782
c1374 G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde ii. 1318 Tho that bene expert in love.
c1386 G. Chaucer Canon's Yeoman's Prol. & Tale 698 That ye mow taken heede, And ben expert of this..This dicipline, and this crafty science.
14.. Prose Legends in Anglia VIII. 133 Þe þridde tyme [she] was experte of dethe.
?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1865) I. 67 The testimonies of men experte whiche haue writen theyme to haue seen that place.
a1556 Ld. Morley tr. G. Boccaccio De Preclaris Mulieribus i [Eve] beynge after experte of the paynes of berynge of children.
1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 52 Frequent the company of the expert, that by noting their observations..you may [etc.].
a1687 W. Petty Polit. Anat. Ireland (1691) 27 A Protestant Militia of 25,000, the most whereof are expert in War.
b. As past participle active with verbal regimen: Having tested, having had experience of. Obsolete (a mere Latinism).
ΚΠ
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Eccles. viii. 5 Who kepeth the hest, shal not ben expert any thing of euel.
c1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. (MS. A) 33 Galion and Auicen and I þat am expert here seiynge, we seie þat [etc.].
a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) i. iv. 77 The craggis quhar monstruus Ciclopes dwell ȝhe ar expert.
2.
a. Trained by experience or practice, skilled, skilful. Const. at, in, †intil, †of, to with infinitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > [adjective] > expert, proficient, or versed
wiseOE
perfectc1350
expertc1374
pertc1390
complete1526
flesh-bred1548
exact1589
proficienta1593
traded1609
well (better, best) verseda1610
made-upa1616
thorough-paceda1628
elementeda1661
peevish1673
adept1698
finished1710
nap1862
c1374 G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde i. 67 Calcas..in science so experte.
14.. Prose Legends in Anglia VIII. 143 Men were often expert to socour.
c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 579 Maistres..That weeren of lawe expert and curious.
c1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xxxv. 36 He expart wes in-tyl swilk thyng.
c1550 Complaynt Scotl. (1979) Prol. 9 Clerkis..ar mair expert in latyne tong nor i am.
1570 J. Dee in H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Elements Geom. Math. Præf. sig. ajv Many places, in the Ciuile law, require an expert Arithmeticien.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. v. 188 Neither are they [Turks] expert Mariners.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World v. 116 Thick Woods, where the Spaniards might easily lay in Ambush..at which they are very expert.
1777 R. Watson Hist. Reign Philip II II. xix. 186 Expert both in the arts of peace and war.
1870 W. C. Bryant tr. Homer Iliad I. ii. 67 Idomeneus expert to wield the spear.
1873 E. E. Hale In his Name viii. 69 The Florentine was not expert in ecclesiastical matters.
b. Hence of personal qualities or acquirements.
ΚΠ
1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 269 In the experte knowelage of warre kepyng.
1563 J. Shute First Groundes Archit. sig. Biiv To haue experte knowladg in drawing.
1665 T. Manley tr. H. Grotius De Rebus Belgicis 176 The War..grew very hot, not so much by the greatness of the Forces as the expert Valour of the Captains.
c. expert system n. Computing a program or group of programs designed to store and apply the knowledge of experts in a given field, so that others can use it for deciding, evaluating, or inferring in that field.
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > software > [noun] > applications program > expert system
decision support system1966
shell1969
expert system1977
decision engine1982
1977 Proc. 5th Internat. Joint Conf. Artificial Intelligence 994/1 The development of expert systems in the context of formal task environments such as mathematics.
1983 Austral. Microcomputer Mag. Nov. 18/2 A market exists for expert systems because in certain decision-making situations, the systems are better than the human experts in the field.
1983 Internat. Managem. Dec. 5/3 icot is concentrating for now on the development of two ‘expert systems’ — intelligent computer programs that can solve problems or reach conclusions usually requiring the knowledge of human experts.
1986 McGraw-Hill Yearbk. Sci. & Technol. 1987 75/2 Attempts to use this technology began in 1976 with the development of an expert system to diagnose diseased soybean plants.
3. Tried, proved by experience. In early use often (after Latin) as mere participle. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > making certain, assurance > [adjective] > certified, verified
experta1387
determinatec1400
triedc1412
approved1489
experimented1545
certificate1547
experienced1569
assured1574
certified1611
warranteda1616
determined1817
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1865) I. 119 Whiche thynge was experte..of ii. men.
c1430 J. Lydgate tr. Bochas Fall of Princes iii. xiii. 112 a This same thyng was wel expert and preued.
?c1450 Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 6030 For his [St. Cuthbert's] help in othir case..þis true monk had expert.
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. cix That aswell was Experte in Fraunce as in the Ile of Englande.
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. Pref. 1 He that hath the perfyte knowledge of others joye..hath thexpert doctryne of all parylles.
1584 T. Cogan Hauen of Health xiv. 37 A perfect water and expert against melancholie.
1612 P. Pomarius Enchiridion Med. (new ed.) 156 It is an expert medicine.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) ii. i. 50 His Pilate [is] Of very expert and approu'd allowance. View more context for this quotation
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† expertadj.2
Obsolete.
Destitute or devoid of, free from.
ΚΠ
?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1865) I. 337 Thouȝhe..Bede..seye that londe not to be experte of vynes.
1608 G. Chapman Conspiracie Duke of Byron i. sig. Cv Into purest ayre Expert of humor.
?1624 G. Chapman tr. Hymn to Venus in tr. Crowne Homers Wks. 102 He..should Immortality breath, Expert of Age, and Woe, as well as Death.
1656 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. II. v. 82 A principle is expert of generation and corruption.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
† expertv.1
Obsolete.
transitive. To experience; to know by experience.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > operation upon something > have effect on [verb (transitive)] > be subjected to or undergo an action > undergo or experience
feelOE
seeOE
passa1325
provec1330
attastec1374
wielda1375
tastec1380
sufferc1390
to pass through ——c1400
expert?a1475
traverse1477
experiment1484
savour1509
to taste of1526
to go through ——1535
sustain1575
approve1578
try1578
experience1588
undergo1600
to run through ——1602
pree1806
?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1865) I. 183 The women experte the knowledge of diverse men.
1553 S. Cabot in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1589) i. 262 For declaration of the trueth, which you shall haue experted.
1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Nov. 183 Knewe wee..what it [death] us bringes untill, Dye would we daylie, once it to expert.
Derivatives
exˈperted adj. experienced.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > knowledge, what is known > experience > [adjective]
expertc1374
experientc1420
experimentalc1449
experted1475
experienced1576
self-experienced1782
1475 Bk. Noblesse (1860) 60 They have no sufficient bookis..and be not expertid.
1587 A. Fleming et al. Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) III. Contin. 1306/1 This Thomas was a man..experted..in ecclesiasticall matters.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
expertv.2
/ˈɛkspəːt/, U.S. /ˈɛkˌspərt/ Chiefly North American colloquial.
transitive. To examine as an expert; to have (books, etc.) examined by an expert.
ΚΠ
1889 in Cent. Dict.
1901 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 26 Oct. 6/6 Colonel Linsley with a party of men has been in the coal region for the past couple of weeks experting the fields for the company.
1948 G. H. Johnston Death takes Small Bites i. 13 ‘But what about Japan or the Philippines? Wouldn't you find more there to write about?’ ‘No. Both played out. They've been experted all the way from page one to the obituaries.’
1969 ‘H. Pentecost’ Girl Watcher's Funeral (1970) iii. ii. 148 We've done some experting on the trajectory of the body's fall.
Derivatives
exˈperting n. expert examination or its results.
ΚΠ
1956 G. Bowen Wool Away! (ed. 2) vi. 74 The next phase of experting a new comb is to scrape or rub the tips on wood.
1956 G. Bowen Wool Away! (ed. 2) vi. 75 I trust that the experting as set out in this text will be a practical guide and help to all, as good gear is the foundation of all good shearing.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1972; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1825
adj.1c1374
adj.2?a1475v.1?a1475v.21889