A person whose long experience has produced exceptional practical skill.
Reach for it when praising someone as deeply accomplished in a specific activity
A past master of joinery showed us how grain direction changes every cut.
| playful | |
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| everyday | |
| professional | |
| formal |
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| literary |
playful
Suits an experienced person in relaxed, familiar speech
Careful Old hand may put unwanted emphasis on age and familiarity.
everyday
Fits when many years in a field are the central qualification
Careful Veteran proves duration more readily than exceptional mastery.
professional
Fits when authoritative knowledge or skill is established
Careful Expert does not specifically imply long experience or effortless craft.
professional
master practitioner
Fits when formal language should join seniority with demonstrated practice
Careful Master practitioner may be an official grade and should not be invented as one.
literary
Suits dazzling command in music, art, or another performance field
Careful Virtuoso emphasizes brilliance and fits fewer everyday trades.
past master at
She is a past master at turning limited space into useful storage.
past master of
The director was a past master of comic timing and quiet suspense.
a real past master
Ask Dev, a real past master when delicate gears need adjustment.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Updated
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