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What is a talent?

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Someone mentioned a talent in a television program as an ancient measurement? wanted to know how much it is

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  1. A natural given gift by God.


  2. \Tal"ent\, n. [F., fr. L. talentum a talent (in sense 1),

    Gr. ? a balance, anything weighed, a definite weight, a

    talent; akin to ? to bear, endure, ?, L. tolerare, tollere,

    to lift up, sustain, endure. See {Thole}, v. t., {Tolerate}.]

    1. Among the ancient Greeks, a weight and a denomination of

       money equal to 60 min[ae] or 6,000 drachm[ae]. The Attic

       talent, as a weight, was about 57 lbs. avoirdupois; as a

       denomination of silver money, its value was [pounds]243

       15s. sterling, or about $1,180.

             Rowing vessel whose burden does not exceed five

             hundred talents.                      --Jowett

                                                   (Thucid.).

    2. Among the Hebrews, a weight and denomination of money. For

       silver it was equivalent to 3,000 shekels, and in weight

       was equal to about 93? lbs. avoirdupois; as a denomination

       of silver, it has been variously estimated at from

       [pounds]340 to [pounds]396 sterling, or about $1,645 to

       $1,916. For gold it was equal to 10,000 gold shekels.

    3. Inclination; will; disposition; desire. [Obs.]

             They rather counseled you to your talent than to

             your profit.                          --Chaucer.

    4. Intellectual ability, natural or acquired; mental

       endowment or capacity; skill in accomplishing; a special

       gift, particularly in business, art, or the like; faculty;

       a use of the word probably originating in the Scripture

       parable of the talents (--Matt. xxv. 14-30).

             He is chiefly to be considered in his three

             different talents, as a critic, a satirist, and a

             writer of odes.                       --Dryden.

             His talents, his accomplishments, his graceful

             manners, made him generally popular.  --Macaulay.

    Syn: Ability; faculty; gift; endowment. See {Genius}.

  3. Biblically, it was a small amount of currency.

    Good luck
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