Personality - Skilled & Smart

Discover how English idioms like "be quick on the uptake" and "bright spark" relate to being skilled and smart in English.

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eagle eye [noun]

someone who is keenly aware or observant

Ex: The security guard 's eagle eye caught the suspicious behavior of a person in the crowd .

(smart|sharp) cookie [phrase]

a person who is clever and has a strong personality

Ex:

on the ball [phrase]

quick to comprehend and respond to things

Ex: She 's on the ball during meetings , asking insightful questions and providing valuable input .

the sharpest tool in the (shed|box) [phrase]

used to refer to someone who shows signs of great intelligence

Ex:

a good head on {one's} shoulders [phrase]

used to refer to someone who has a good judgment and is intelligent enough to make wise decisions

Ex:

to [be] (no|nobody's|no one's) fool [phrase]

to avoid foolish actions through wisdom and good judgement

Ex:

(as|) sharp as a razor [phrase]

used to refer to someone who is very intelligent and is able to think and decide very quickly

Ex:

(as|) bright as a (new|) button [phrase]

used to refer to someone who is intelligent or sharp enough to quickly understand things

Ex: She 's only six years old , but she 's bright as a button .

to [come] naturally to {sb/sth} [phrase]

to be born with or naturally posses a particular talent or ability

Ex:

green thumb [noun]

a person's natural talent or ability to make plants grow efficiently

Ex: I wish I had a green thumb like my grandmother .

a man for all seasons [phrase]

a male individual who is successful and talented in a variety of fields

Ex:

dab hand [noun]

an individual who excels at a specific type of activity

Ex: Our boss is a dab hand at negotiation .

wise owl [noun]

someone who possesses great wisdom and good judgment, often referred to old people

Ex: The company 's CEO is regarded as a wise owl in the business world .

(as|) wise as an owl [phrase]

used to refer to someone who is exceptionally knowledgeable and has a good sense of judgment

Ex:

in {one's} blood [phrase]

(of an ability or skill) existing in an individual from birth

Ex: All of my relatives are doctors — medical prowess is just in our blood .

bright spark [noun]

a person with high intelligence

Ex:

to [have|get] {one's} head screwed on (the right way|) [phrase]

to be a realistic and sensible individual

Ex: The CEO of the company is known for having her head screwed on .

book smart [noun]

an educated person who has extensive knowledge on a subject through reading and studying

Ex: The professor was incredibly book smart , with a deep understanding of complex theories and concepts .

(as|) sharp as a tack [phrase]

(of a person) having or showing a high level of intelligence

Ex: He 's a brilliant student , sharp as a tack in every subject he studies .

number cruncher [noun]

someone who is very good with numbers and calculations, particularly one who is suited for accounting

Ex:

to [be] quick on the uptake [phrase]

(of a person) to understand things very quickly

Ex:

Personality
Unpleasant Traits	Unappealing Characteristics	Pretentious	Talkative
Unintelligent	Skilled & Smart	Strong & Confident	Honest
Nice	Lively & Energetic	Proud & Arrogant	Senseless or Awkward