Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense crafts, present participle crafting, past tense, past participle craftedlanguage note: craft is both the singular and the plural form for meaning [sense 1].
1. countable noun
You can refer to a boat, a spacecraft, or an aircraft as a craft.
With great difficulty, the fisherman manoeuvred his small craft close to the reef.
...divers, helicopters and naval craft.
2. See also landing craft
3. countable noun
A craft is an activity such as weaving, carving, or pottery that involves making things skilfully with your hands.
...the arts and crafts of the North American Indians.
All kinds of traditional craft industries are preserved here.
Synonyms: occupation, work, calling, business More Synonyms of craft
4. countable noun
You can use craft to refer to any activity or job that involves doing something skilfully.
...the craft of writing.
Maurice Murphy, one of the country's leading classical trumpeters, learnt his craftwith the Black Dyke Mills band.
5. verb
If something is crafted, it is made skilfully.
The windows would probably have been crafted in the latter part of the Middle Ages. [beVERB-ed]
Many delegates were willing to craft a compromise. [VERB noun]
The author extracts the maximum from every carefully-crafted scene in this wittytale. [VERB-ed]
...original, hand-crafted bags at affordable prices. [VERB-ed]
More Synonyms of craft
craft in British English
(krɑːft)
noun
1.
skill or ability, esp in handiwork
2.
skill in deception and trickery; guile; cunning
3.
an occupation or trade requiring special skill, esp manual dexterity
4.
a.
the members of such a trade, regarded collectively
b.
(as modifier)
a craft guild
5.
a single vessel, aircraft, or spacecraft
6. (functioning as plural)
ships, boats, aircraft, or spacecraft collectively
verb
7. (transitive)
to make or fashion with skill, esp by hand
Word origin
Old English cræft skill, strength; related to Old Norse kraptr power, skill, Old High German kraft
craft in American English
(kræft; krɑft)
noun
1.
a special skill, art, or dexterity
2.
an occupation or avocation requiring special skills, especially manual ones, including carpentry, sewing, pottery, etc.
3.
the members of a skilled trade
4.
skill in deceiving or underhanded planning; guile; slyness
5. Word forms: pluralcraft
a boat, ship, or aircraft
verb transitive
6.
to make with skill, artistry, or precision
usually in pp.
SIMILAR WORDS: art
Word origin
ME < OE cræft, strength, power; akin to Ger kraft, strength, force (sense “skill” only in E) < IE *grep- < base *ger-, to twist, turn (see cradle): basic sense “cramping of muscles during exertion of strength”; (sense 5) prob.< phr. vessels of small craft, lit. of small power
-craft in American English
(kræft; krɑft)
the work, skill, or practice of
Word origin
< craft
Examples of 'craft' in a sentence
craft
Those who love the idea of sailing on historic craft can board one nearer to home.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There will be arts and craft too.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
To get there you need craft and guile.
The Sun (2006)
These austere bowling crafts will potentially make some players rich.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Many other crafts and trades have been pushed out of their old homes.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This beautifully crafted futuristic game sets players out on a campaign as one of three opposed factions.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Was it a craft handed down through the generations?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The chief man of the boat handled his craft very efficiently.
Edward Beauclerk Maurice THE LAST OF THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS: Coming of Age in the Arctic (2004)
They need to show more guile and craft going forward.
The Sun (2012)
How can we craft ones that make people want to hear?
Christianity Today (2000)
The beautifully crafted interior boasts leather and stitched suede sports seats and expensive carbon fibre trim.
The Sun (2013)
The centre will also showcase the craft and technical skills needed for a successful film franchise.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Critics go round the arts and crafts of the nation handing out tickets.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Serbia lacked the craft and the guile to recover.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In fact, can anyone trust anyone in this skilfully crafted thriller?
The Sun (2014)
Well, no one crafts a profit warning better.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Hand crafted and individual, of limited quantity.
Lockspeiser, Jerry & Gear, Jackie Thorsons Organic Wine Guide (1991)
One has to know one 's own craft.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
Craft and trade training has been ignored by both the government and employers who use workers from abroad rather than incurring the expense of apprenticeships.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Farmers have cleansed their fields of salt, fishermen crafted new boats, and teachers rebuilt schools.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Her role was at the dispatching and reception end of the line, where it was necessary to signal by torch to small naval craft approaching the beach.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Upside: A luxurious country home crafted out of a historic farm building.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
craft
British English: craft /krɑːft/ NOUN
You can refer to a boat, a spacecraft, or an aircraft as a craft.
Hundreds of small craft sailed out to sea.
American English: craft
Arabic: مَرْكَب
Brazilian Portuguese: artesanato
Chinese: 工艺
Croatian: plovilo
Czech: letoun
Danish: håndværk
Dutch: schip
European Spanish: nave
Finnish: käsityö
French: métier
German: Handwerk
Greek: χειροτεχνία
Italian: velivoli e imbarcazioni
Japanese: 熟練職業
Korean: 공예
Norwegian: håndverk
Polish: rzemiosło
European Portuguese: artesanato
Romanian: navă
Russian: транспорт
Latin American Spanish: oficio
Swedish: hantverk
Thai: ยานพาหนะ
Turkish: el sanatı
Ukrainian: судно
Vietnamese: tàu
British English: craft VERB
If something is crafted, it is made skilfully.
The windows would probably have been crafted in the latter part of the era.
American English: craft
Brazilian Portuguese: manufaturar
Chinese: 精心制作
European Spanish: trabajar artesanalmente
French: réaliser
German: fertigen
Italian: eseguire
Japanese: 巧みに作る
Korean: 정교하게 만들어지다
European Portuguese: fabricar manualmente
Latin American Spanish: trabajar artesanalmente
All related terms of 'craft'
craft beer
Craft beer is beer produced in small quantities, usually by a small, independent company.
craft fair
A craft fair is an event at which people sell goods they have made.
craft knife
a knife used for paper crafts , etc, that has a sharp replaceable blade
craft union
a labour organization membership of which is restricted to workers in a specified trade or craft
house-craft
skill in domestic management
craft centre
a large shop that sells craftwork
landing craft
A landing craft is a small boat designed for the landing of troops and equipment on the shore .
mother craft
a spaceship providing facilities and supplies for a number of smaller craft , or for astronauts
pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is the same as a → pleasure boat .
craft activities
An activity is something that you spend time doing.
craft apprenticeship
a period of training for a skilled trade in industry, such as for a plumber or electrician
the gentle craft
fishing
Chinese translation of 'craft'
craft
(krɑːft)
n(c)
Word forms:plcraft
(= boat) 船舶 (chuánbó) (艘, sōu)
(= plane) 飞(飛)机(機) (fēijī) (架, jià)
(= weaving, pottery etc) 工艺(藝) (gōngyì) (道, dào)
(= trade) 行业 (hángyè)
vt
精工制(製)作 (jīnggōng zhìzuò)
1 (noun)
Definition
a boat, ship, aircraft, or spacecraft
We sighted a small craft on the horizon.
Synonyms
vessel
a Moroccan fishing vessel
boat
One of the best ways to see the area is in a small boat.
ship
We went by ship over to America.
plane
He had plenty of time to catch his plane.
aircraft
The return flight of the aircraft was delayed.
spacecraft
barque
2 (noun)
Definition
an occupation requiring skill or manual dexterity
All kinds of traditional crafts are preserved here.
Synonyms
occupation
I was looking for an occupation which would allow me to travel.
work
What kind of work do you do?
calling
He was a serious man, dedicated to his calling as a physician.
business
May I ask what business you are in?
line
What was your father's line of business?
trade
He was a jeweller by trade.
employment
She was unable to find employment in the area.
pursuit
They both love outdoor pursuits.
vocation
the levels of knowledge and skill required for success in many vocations
handiwork
handicraft
My new handicraft was seashell pictures.
3 (noun)
Definition
skill or ability
Lilyanne learned her craft of cooking from her grandmother.
Synonyms
skill
The cut of a diamond depends on the skill of its craftsman.
art
the art of romance
ability
Her drama teacher spotted her ability.
technique
He went abroad to improve his tennis technique.
know-how (informal)
He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.
expertise
the lack of management expertise within the company
knack
He's got the knack of getting people to listen.
aptitude
He discovered an aptitude for working in accounts.
artistry
his artistry as a cellist
dexterity
He showed great dexterity on the guitar.
workmanship
a carpenter who prided himself on the quality of his workmanship
expertness
4 (noun)
Definition
cunning or guile
They defeated their enemies through craft and cunning.
Synonyms
cunning
He tackled the problem with skill and cunning.
ingenuity
This task is difficult and may require some ingenuity.
guile
I love children's innocence and lack of guile.
cleverness
scheme
a quick money-making scheme
subtlety
She analyses herself with great subtlety.
deceit
The suspect was found guilty of theft, fraud and deceit on an incredible scale.
ruse
This was a ruse to divide them.
artifice
the artifice and illusion of sleight-of-hand card tricks
trickery
They will resort to trickery in order to impress their clients.
wiles
duplicity
He was guilty of duplicity in his private dealings.
subterfuge
Most people can see right through that type of subterfuge.
contrivance
It is nothing more than a contrivance to raise prices.
shrewdness
craftiness
It all points to a criminal mind of almost diabolical craftiness.
artfulness
subject word lists
See Crafts
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ability
Definition
great skill or competence
Her drama teacher spotted her ability.
Synonyms
skill,
talent,
know-how (informal),
gift,
expertise,
faculty,
flair,
competence,
energy,
accomplishment,
knack,
aptitude,
proficiency,
dexterity,
cleverness,
potentiality,
adroitness,
adeptness,
expertness,
force,
craft,
endowment
in the sense of aircraft
Definition
any machine capable of flying, such as a glider or aeroplane
The return flight of the aircraft was delayed.
Synonyms
plane,
jet,
aeroplane,
airplane (US, Canadian),
airliner,
kite (British, slang),
flying machine
in the sense of aptitude
Definition
natural tendency or ability
He discovered an aptitude for working in accounts.