#700.  Proficient. —­ N. proficient, expert, adept, dab; dabster[obs3],
crackerjack; connoisseur &c. (scholar) 492; master, master hand; prima donna[Sp], first fiddle, top gun, chef de cuisine, top sawyer; protagonist; past master; mahatma.
     picked man; medallist, prizeman[obs3].
     veteran; old stager, old campaigner, old soldier, old file, old hand;
man of business, man of the world.
     nice hand, good hand, clean hand; practiced hand, experienced eye,
experienced hand; marksman; good shot, dead shot, crack shot; ropedancer, funambulist[obs3], acrobat; cunning man; conjuror &c. (deceiver) 548; wizard &c. 994.
     genius; mastermind, master head, master spirit.
     cunning blade, sharp blade, sharp fellow; jobber; cracksman &c.
(thief) 792[obs3]; politician, tactician, strategist.
     pantologist[obs3], admirable Crichton, Jack of all trades; prodigy of
learning.

     #701.  Bungler. —­ N. bungler; blunderer, blunderhead[obs3]; marplot,
fumbler, lubber, duffer, dauber, stick; bad hand, poor hand, poor shot; butterfingers[obs3].
     no conjurer, flat, muff, slow coach, looby[obs3], lubber, swab; clod,
yokel, awkward squad, blanc-bec; galoot[obs3].
     land lubber; fresh water sailor, fair weather sailor; horse marine;
fish out of water, ass in lion’s skin, jackdaw in peacock’s feathers; quack &c. (deceiver) 548; lord of misrule.
     sloven, slattern, trapes[obs3].
     amateur, novice, greenhorn (learner) 541. 
     Phr. il n’a pas invente’ la poudre[Fr]; he will never set the Thames
on fire; acierta errando[Lat]; aliquis in omnibus nullus in singulis[Lat][obs3].

     #702.  Cunning. —­ N. cunning, craft; cunningness[obs3], craftiness &c.
adj.; subtlety, artificiality; maneuvering &c. v.; temporization; circumvention.
     chicane, chicanery; sharp practice, knavery, jugglery[obs3];
concealment &c. 528; guile, doubling, duplicity &c. (falsehood) 544; foul play.
     diplomacy, politics; Machiavelism; jobbery, backstairs influence.
     art, artifice; device, machination; plot &c. (plan) 626; maneuver,
stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile; trick, trickery &c. (deception) 545; ruse, ruse de guerre[Fr]; finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion; white lie &c (untruth) 546; juggle, tour de force; tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers; espieglerie[Fr]; net, trap &c. 545. 
     Ulysses, Machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard; Scotchman; Jew, Yankee;
intriguer, intrigant[obs3]; floater [U.S.], Indian giver [U.S.], keener [U.S.], repeater [U.S. politics]. 
     V. be cunning &c. adj.; have cut one’s eyeteeth; contrive &c (plan)
626; live by one’s wits; maneuver; intrigue, gerrymander, finesse, double, temporize, stoop to conquer, reculer pour mieux sauter[Fr], circumvent, steal a march upon; overreach &c. 545; throw off one’s guard; surprise &c. 508; snatch a verdict; waylay,