Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Superior skill or ability.
- noun Superior strength, courage, or daring, especially in battle.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Excellence; virtue; goodness; integrity.
- noun Bravery; valor; particularly, military bravery combined with skill; gallantry; daring.
- noun A feat or deed of valor; a valiant act.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Distinguished bravery; valor; especially, military bravery and skill; gallantry; intrepidity; fearlessness.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun
Skillfulness andmanual ability ;adroitness ordexterity . - noun Distinguished
bravery orcourage , especially inbattle ;heroism
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Even in the middle of their bloodstained feudal period, in the year 597 B. C.-forty-six years before Confucius was born-Prince Chuang of the State of Ch'u, proclaimed: "The ideograph for 'prowess' is made up of the signs 'to stay' and a 'Spear' -- in other words, the cessation of hostilities."
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And Iott's and the Wikings 'whitewashed account of their military prowess is beyond absurd.
Rich Iott -- a Nazi bit of reenacting work Alexandra Petri 2010
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His sees convictions confirmed when he, too, falls prey to polio and athletic prowess is forever stripped from him.
David Finkle: Easy Reader: Philip Roth's Nemesis an Instant Classic David Finkle 2010
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An investment manager's prowess is often measured using two Greek letters, beta and alpha.
Get Briefed: Ron Baron Alexandra Zendrian 2010
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His sees convictions confirmed when he, too, falls prey to polio and athletic prowess is forever stripped from him.
David Finkle: Easy Reader: Philip Roth's Nemesis an Instant Classic David Finkle 2010
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While it won't be clear until Election Day, the state Democratic Party's fundraising prowess is expected to give it a significant edge in organizing and capitalizing on its early-voting effort.
Parties rev up political machinery in Maryland to boost early voting turnout Aaron C. Davis 2010
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Are we supposed to believe that defensive prowess is making up the difference?
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There was more, but what the world will remember is: "Andrew's prowess is legendary."
Dan Collins: Carl Paladino Likes It Hot Dan Collins 2010
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While it won't be clear until Election Day, the state Democratic Party's fundraising prowess is expected to give it a significant edge in organizing and capitalizing on its early-voting effort.
Parties rev up political machinery in Maryland to boost early voting turnout Aaron C. Davis 2010
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There was more, but what the world will remember is: "Andrew's prowess is legendary."
Dan Collins: Carl Paladino Likes It Hot Dan Collins 2010
yarb commented on the word prowess
When even sex has ceased to be sensation
he calls his marriage
mutual consolation
and, lying with his wife
without prowess,
he calls the appalling sheets
a wilderness.
- Peter Reading, Nomenclator, from For the Municipality's Elderly, 1974
June 22, 2008
rolig commented on the word prowess
A curious word this. If one did not know what it meant, one might think it referred to a female "prow", along the lines of authoress, poetess, mayoress, etc. I like that, while it suggests femininity (though I know that the -ess suffix means something else here, along the lines of duress), it refers to skill and expertise.
September 5, 2008
dbekeny commented on the word prowess
sings)
Yeh, it's sad, believe me, Missy
When you're born to be a sissy,
Without the vim and verve.
But I could show my prowess --
Be a lion not a mou-ess --
If I only had the nerve
I'm afraid there's no denyin'
I'm just a dande-lion --
A fate I don't deserve.
I'd be brave as a blizzard --
June 11, 2010