Forms: 1 talente; 3– talent (4 taland(e, 4–6 -ente, -ant, 6–7 tallent). [In OE. talente, -an, = OHG. talenta str. fem., ad. L. talenta, pl. of talentum, ad. Gr. τάλαντον balance, weight, sum of money (f. verbal root ταλ-, τλα- to bear). In ME., a. OF. talent will, desire, lust, appetite, = Pr. talant, talen, Sp., It. talento (OSp., Pg. talante), med.L. talentum (1098 in Du Cange), in a Com. Romanic sense ‘inclination of mind, leaning, wish, desire.’ Branch III. (also in mod.F. and It.) originated in a fig. use of the word in sense 1 b, taken from the parable of the talents, Matt. xxv. 14–30.]
I. An ancient weight, a money of account (L. talentum).
1. A denomination of weight, used by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, and other ancient nations; varying greatly with time, people, and locality.
The Royal Babylonian talent averaged about 29.87 kilograms or 65 lb. 13 oz.; the chief Greek varieties were the Old Æginetan talent of 40.3 kilog. (88 lb. 12 oz.), the later Æginetan or emporetic Attic, 36.4 kilog. (80 lb. 4 oz.), and the Solonic or later Attic, 25.8 kilog. (56 lb. 14 oz., or a little over half a hundredweight).
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. vi. § 1. Hanna … him ælce ȝeare ȝesealde twa hund talentana siolfres: on ælcre anre talentan wæs lxxx punda.
1382. Wyclif, Exod. xxxviii. 26. An hundryd talentes of siluer. Ibid., Zech. v. 7. Lo! a talent of lede was born. Ibid., Rev. xvi. 21. And greet hayl as a talent cam doun fro heuen.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VI. ccvi. 218. There be thre maner of talentes; the firste & grettest is of ye weyghte of .vi. xx. li. weyght.
1552. Huloet, Talent, or certayne poyse or weyghe, talentum.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, IX. 352. With two great Talents of the finest Gold.
1800. Suppl. to Chron., in Asiat. Ann. Reg., 149/2. They afterwards advanced to deliver their presents, consisting of talents of gold and silver.
1807. Robinson, Archæol. Græca, V. xxvi. 551. Grecian weights reduced to English Troy weight:… Talent = 65 lb., 12 dwt., 543/49 grains.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, III. xix. 121. The statue of Athene in the Parthenon alone contained forty talents weight of pure gold.
b. The value of a talent weight (of gold, silver, etc.): a money of account.
The Babylonian silver talent was equal to 3000 shekels; the Greek talent contained 60 minæ or 6000 silver drachmæ, and the value of the later Attic talent of silver, with pure silver at 4s. 9d. an oz. troy, has been estimated at £200; at a higher value of silver, at £243 15s.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. vi. § 18. Eac him ȝesealden þæronufan III. M talentana ælce ȝeare.
1382. Wyclif, Matt. xviii. 24. Oon was offrid to hym, that owȝte to hym ten thousand talentis. Ibid., xxv. 15. As a man goynge fer in pilgrimage, clepide his seruantis, and bitoke to hem his goodis; and to oon he ȝaue fyue talentis, forsothe to an other two.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 5. Of þe whiche richesse … Hircanus þe bisshop ȝaf Anthiochus, Demetrius his sone, þre þowsand talentis.
1530. Palsgr., 279/1. Talent a somme of money, talent.
1607. Shaks., Timon, II. i. 201. My occasions haue found time to vse ’em toward a supply of mony: let the request be fifty Talents.
1761. Raper, in Phil. Trans., LXI. 468. This way of reckoning 100 Drachms to the Mina, and 60 Minas to the Talent, was common to all Greece.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, xv. 228. He brought 7,000 talents—a million and a half of English money—to the Roman treasury.
† c. Her. Used as = BEZANT 3. Obs.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Her., E iij. It is not necessari here to expres the colowre of the talentis or besantis: for thay be euer of golde.
† d. fig. Treasure, riches, wealth, abundance.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1666 (Dubl. MS.) Takez hym to hys tresory, talentes hym shewys.
a. 1555. Latimer, in Foxe, A. & M. (1563), 1311/1. All hayle holy crosse which hath deserued to beare the precious talent of the worlde.
1597. Shaks., Lover’s Compl., 204. And Lo behold these tallents of their heir, With twisted mettle amorously empeacht.
a. 1600. Ballad Stucley, in Simpson, Sch. Shaks. (1878), I. 146. Many a noble gallant—sold both land and talent.
1635. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Banish’d Virg., 66. On her therefore spent he all the talent of his hatred.
II. Inclination, disposition (OF. talent).
† 2. Inclination, propension, or disposition for anything; ‘mind,’ ‘will,’ wish, desire, appetite.
[1292. Britton, V. i. § 1. Pur doner meillour talent a femmes de amer matrimoigne.]
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3913. Þan bigan þam tak talent [v.rr. talande, taland] To wend in to þair aun land.
c. 1325. Metr. Hom. (Vernon MS.), in Herrig’s Archiv, LVII. 263. But hedde he no talent to chase.
1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 8459. To what thyng þe saule has talent, To þat þe body salle, ay, assent.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 694. The wynd we wele to thar talent.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XII. vi. (Tollem. MS.). To make hem haue talent to mete.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 486/1. Talent, or lyste,… appetitus, delectacio.
c. 1450. Bk. Hawkyng, in Rel. Ant., 1. 306. The which schall … make here have a talente to hire mete.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., ix. 157. Yis, lord, I am at youre talent.
1485. Caxton, Paris & V., 7. Grete talent and desyre she had to knowe hym.
1530. Palsgr., 279/1. Talent or lust, talent.
† 3. An evil inclination, disposition, or passion; esp. and usually, anger: cf. MALTALENT, ‘ill talent,’ ill-will (which occurs somewhat earlier). Obs.
[c. 1320: see MALTALENT.]
a. 1380. St. Ambrose, 698, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 19. An officer greued Ambrose sore … And sende word to him wiþ gret talent.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Man of Law’s T., 1039. Hym ne moeued outher conscience Or Ire or talent or som kynnes affray, Enuye, or pride.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 2326. Al his angir and his irrous talent Refreyned he.
1622. Bacon, Henry VII., 68. One that had of a long time borne an ill Talent towards the King.
a. 1628. F. Greville, Sidney, xviii. (1652), 243. That women are predominant, is not for malice, or ill talent to their Sexe.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. (1717), I. 92. Though the Nation generally, as was said before, was without any ill Talent to the Church, either in the point of the Doctrine, or the Discipline, yet they were not without a jealousy that Popery was not enough discountenanced.
1652. Earl Monm., trans. Bentivoglio’s Hist. Relat., 41. Their tallent is alike evil against the Archduke Albertus and his wife.
1695. Temple, Hist. Eng. (1699), 581. Several Writers shew their ill Talent to this Prince.
† 4. Disposition or state of mind or character.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 5882. To geuen the other gode talent.
a. 1400. Lybeaus Disc., 612. Elene … ladde her vnto the greves … Wyth well good talent.
1450–80. trans. Secreta Secret., 15. The talent of man takith thereof gret strengthe and corage in alle manhode.
† b. transf. Quality (of taste or flavor). rare.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 118. The talent of one cheese in mouthes of ten men, Hath ten different tasts.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, Pref. As with a tun of Wine, which doth take an euill talent of the Caske.
III. Mental endowment; natural ability.
[From the parable of the talents, Matt. xxv. 14–30, etc.]
5. Power or ability of mind or body viewed as something divinely entrusted to a person for use and improvement: considered either as one organic whole or as consisting of a number of distinct faculties; (with pl.) any one of such faculties.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 240. Who shal me save Fro feendys daunger, t’acounte for my talent?
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 12. They be the talentes that god hath lent to man in this lyfe, of the whiche he wyll aske moost strayte accounte.
1574. J. Dee, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 39. That this florishing Kingdome may long enjoye the great Talent committed to your Lordship (from above).
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1589), 353. Hide not this talent, but teach it others, and giue thy selfe an example vnto them of well doing.
1607. Heywood, Fayre Mayde, Wks. 1874, II. 60. His industry hath now increas’d his talent.
1671. Woodhead, St. Teresa, II. ii. 10. Our Lord having herein given him an extraordinary talent.
1697. Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., II. (1709), 178. We should presume People have understood their Opportunities, and managed their Talent, and their Time to advantage.
1781. Cowper, Conversat., 1. Though Nature weigh our talents, and dispense To every man his modicum of sense.
1842. Kingsley, Lett. (1878), I. 59. Remember that your talents are a loan from God.
6. A special natural ability or aptitude, usually for something expressed or implied; a natural capacity for success in some department of mental or physical activity; † an accomplishment (obs.).
1600. W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 336. Silly bodies and sorie fellowes of no talent gift or ability.
1635. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Banish’d Virg., Ep. Ded. He alone having the talent of both conceiving and expressing himselfe.
1644. Evelyn, Diary, 4 Jan. He would needes perswade me to goe with him … to the Jesuites Colledge, to witness his polemical talent.
1685. Dryden, Sylvæ, Pref., Ess. (ed. Ker), I. 266. He is chiefly to be considered in his three different talents, as he was a critic, a satirist, and a writer of odes.
1693. Congreve, Old Bach., IV. xiii. Where did you get this excellent talent of railing?
1774. Chesterf., Lett., I. x. 36. To write letters well … is a talent which unavoidably occurs every day of one’s life.
1821. Monthly Rev., XCVI. Dec., 443. It is in vain that the advocate for the equality of sexual talent brings forwards his long list of female worthies, whether in the paths of public life, literature, or science.
1846. Greener, Sc. Gunnery, 398. They seem to possess a ‘talent’ for this sort of thing.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 199. He had shown … two talents invaluable to a prince, the talent of choosing his servants well, and the talent of appropriating to himself the chief part of the credit of their acts.
1877. H. Van Laun, Hist. French Lit., III. IX. iv. § 1. 377. He [H. de Latouche] is said to have expended the essence of his talent in conversation.
1905. H. G. Wells, Kipps, II. vi. 270. Kipps gave a reluctant assent at the time, and afterwards displayed a talent for evasion that she had not expected in him.
b. pl. Aptitudes or faculties of various kinds; mental powers of a superior order; abilities, parts.
1654. Evelyn, Diary, 12 July. Mr. Gibbon … giving us a taste of his skill and talents on that instrument [the double organ].
1656. Blount, Glossogr., s.v., We say, a man of good talents, i. of good parts or abilities.
1731. Fielding, Letter Writer, II. i. Love and war I find still require the same talents.
1771. Goldsm., Hist. Eng., II. 259. The duke of Buckingham, a man of talents and power.
1796. Mrs. M. Robinson, Angelina, I. 69. She is the only unaffected woman of talents I have met with.
1866. Whittier, Marg. Smith’s Jrnl., Prose Wks. 1889, I. 92. What avail great talents, if they be not devoted to goodness?
1895. N. W. Sibley in Law Times, XCIX. 476/2. It requires the talents of a Boileau, Molière, or La Fontaine to play the part of a flâneur with any success.
c. collective sing. (without a or pl.). Mental power or ability; cleverness.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. (1623), 193. Other poore rogues of lesse talent.
1670. Capt. J. Smith, Eng. Improv. Reviv’d, 6. As much as their Talent and Capacity will amount to.
1749. Mrs. Belfour, in Richardson’s Corr. (1804), IV. 259. Your talent may be universal: I believe it is.
1764. Goldsm., Trav., 354. And talent sinks, and merit weeps unknown.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., 2 June. Without principle, talent, or intelligence.
1800. Southey, Lett. to J. Rickman, 9 Jan. We have men of talent here also.
1809. Coleridge, Own Times, 655. The aristocracy of talent.
1821. Syd. Smith, Wks. (1850), 313. A work in which great and extraordinary talent is evinced.
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Goethe, Wks. (Bohn), I. 390. In England and in America, there is a respect for talent.
1877. Morley, Crit. Misc., Ser. II. 149. He was a person of no talent, his friends allowed.
d. Talent as embodied in the talented; sometimes approaching or passing into the sense: Persons of talent or ability collectively; rarely, as sing., a person of talent. By the sporting press, applied to backers of horses, as distinguished from the ‘layers’ or bookmakers, the implication being that those whose investments make a horse a ‘favorite’ are supposed to be ‘the clever ones.’
(Administration of) All the Talents (Eng. Hist.), an ironical appellation of the Ministry of Lord Grenville, 1806–7, implying that it combined in its members all the talents.
[1809. Scott, Fam. Lett., 15 Feb. Yet the aggregate talent from which assistance is expected is very formidable.
1838. Macaulay, Ess., Temple (1837), 452. Clarendon … seems to have taken a sort of morose pleasure in slighting and provoking all the rising talent of the kingdom.
1885. J. K. Jerome, On the Stage, 17. Selfish fellows who wanted to keep young talent from the stage.]
1856. G. Davis, Hist. Sk. Stockbridge & Southbr., 213. It summoned to its investigation the first talents of the nation.
1883. Daily News, 21 July, 6/5. Xarifa was the most in demand, and the talent again proved correct in their choice, Mr. Valentine’s filly winning a capital race by a neck.
1885. Field, 3 Oct., 489/1. All the talent were discomfited, though; as they often are in Nurseries.
1886. H. Hall, Soc. in Eliz. Age, vii. 100. Throughout the summer there were always two … of the local ‘talent’ engaged in fishing upon the manor.
1888. H. James in Fortn. Rev., May, 651. M. Pierre Loti is a new enough talent for us still to feel something of the glow of exultation at his having not contradicted us, but [etc.].
1861. Knight, Pop. Hist. Eng., VII. xxvi. 463. The ministry of ‘All the Talents’ was accepted without any hesitation on the part of the king.
1895. Oman, Hist. Eng., xxxviii. 608. The short Fox-Grenville cabinet, which contemporary wits called the ministry of ‘All the Talents,’ on account of its broad and comprehensive character.
1897. Morley, Guicciardini, in Misc., Ser. IV. (1908), 79. Cabinets of all the Talents have sometimes been cabinets of all the blunders.
† 7. The characteristic disposition or aptitude of a person or animal. (App. blending 4 and 6.) Obs.
1669. Dryden, Tempest, Pref., Wks. 1883, III. 105. This is certainly the talent of that nation.
1697. Collier, Immor. Stage, i (1698), 7. Obscenity in any Company is a rustick uncreditable Talent; but among Women ’tis particularly rude.
1697. Vanbrugh, Prov. Wife, II. ii. Besides, ’tis my particular talent to ridicule folks.
1701. Swift, Contests Nobles & Com., Wks. 1755, II. I. 46. It is the talent of human nature to run from one extreme to another.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, I. xxx. 116. Pride is not my Talent.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), IV. 159. Its talents are entirely repressed in solitude, and are only brought out by society.
b. The good points or qualities of a horse. ? Obs.
1725. Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Horse, If your Horse’s Talent be Speed, all that you can do is to wait upon the other Horse, and keep behind till you come almost to the Stand, and then endeavour to give a Loose by him.
8. attrib. and Comb., as talent-hiding; talent-money, a bonus or gratuity given to a professional athlete, etc. for specially meritorious performance.
1623. Lisle, Ælfric on O. & N. Test., Pref. 7. I thought it a shame, and the great fault also of talent-hiding, to lead all my life in study.
1896. Ld. Hawke in Westm. Gaz., 25 Nov., 5/3. Whilst they were pleased to congratulate the one who made 100, [or] a bowler who earned talent money.
1896. Daily Chron., 5 May, 5/8. Briggs … saw Sugg earn his ‘talent money’ after the latter had been batting fifty minutes.
