art 1
/ahrt/ , n.
1. the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
2. the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria; works of art collectively, as paintings, sculptures, or drawings: a museum of art; an art collection.
3. a field, genre, or category of art: Dance is an art.
4. the fine arts collectively, often excluding architecture: art and architecture.
5. any field using the skills or techniques of art: advertising art; industrial art.
6. (in printed matter) illustrative or decorative material: Is there any art with the copy for this story?
7. the principles or methods governing any craft or branch of learning: the art of baking; the art of selling.
8. the craft or trade using these principles or methods.
9. skill in conducting any human activity: a master at the art of conversation.
10. a branch of learning or university study, esp. one of the fine arts or the humanities, as music, philosophy, or literature.
11. arts ,
a. ( used with a sing. v. ) the humanities: a college of arts and sciences.
b. ( used with a pl. v. ) See liberal arts .
12. skilled workmanship, execution, or agency, as distinguished from nature.
13. trickery; cunning: glib and devious art.
14. studied action; artificiality in behavior.
15. an artifice or artful device: the innumerable arts and wiles of politics.
16. Archaic. science, learning, or scholarship.
[ 1175-1225; ME ars ars (nom.), artem (acc.) ]
art 2
/ahrt/ , v. Archaic.
2nd pers. sing. pres. indic. of be .
[ bef. 950; ME; OE eart, equiv. to ear- (see ARE 1 ) + -t ending of 2nd pers. sing. ]