Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SKILL, n. [Sax. scylan, to separate, to distinguish; Ice. and Sw. skilia, Dan. skiller, to divide, sever, part; whence shield, that which separates, and hence that which protects or defends; D. scheelen, to differ; schillen, to peel or pare. Scale is from the root of these words, as in shell, Sax. scyl, sceal. In Heb. סכל is foolish, perverse, and as a verb, to pervert, to be foolish or perverse; in Ch. to understand or consider, to look, to regard, to cause to know, whence knowledge, knowing, wise, wisdom, understanding; Rab. to be ignorant or foolish; Syr. to be foolish, to wander in mind, also to cause to understand, to know, to perceive, to discern, also to err, to do wrong, to sin, to fail in duty; whence foolish, folly, ignorance, error, sin, and understanding; Sam. to be wont or accustomed, to look or behold. The same verb with ש, Heb. שבל signifies to understand, to be wise, whence wisdom, understanding, also to waste, to scatter or destroy, to bereave, also to prosper; Ch. to understand; שבלל to complete, to perfect; בלל with a prefix. This signifies also to found, to lay a foundation; Syr. to found, also to finish, complete, adorn, from the same root; Ar. شَكَلَ shakala; to bind or tie, whence Eng. shackles; also to be dark, obscure, intricate, difficult, to form, to make like, to be of a beautiful form, to know, to be ignorant, to agree, suit or become. These verbs appear to be formed on the root בל, בול to hold or restrain, which coincides in signification with the Ch. and Eth. בחל to be able, L. calleo, that is, to strain, stretch, reach, and with כלל to perfect, that is, to make sound, or to reach the utmost limit. The sense of folly, error, sin, perverseness, is from wandering, deviation, Gr. σκολιος; the sense of skill and understanding is from separation, discernment, or from taking, holding or reaching to, for strength and knowledge are allied, and often from tension. The sense of ignorance and error is from wandering or deviation, or perhaps it proceeds from a negative sense given to the primary verb by the prefix, like ex in Latin, and s in Italian. The Arabic sense of binding and shackles is from straining. The Eng. shall and should belong to its family.]

1. The familiar knowledge of any art or science, united with readiness and dexterity in execution or performance, or in the application of the art or science to practical purposes. Thus we speak of the skill of a mathematician, of a surveyor, of a physician or surgeon, of a mechanic or seaman. So we speak of skill in management or negotiation. – Dryden. Swift.
2. Any particular art. [Not in use.] – Hooker.