Wiktionary

able

See also: Able, ABLE, and -able

English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ-
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti
Proto-Indo-European *-yeti
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti
Proto-Indo-European *gʰh₁bʰéh₁yeti
Proto-Italic *haβēō
Latin habeō
Proto-Indo-European *-elis
Proto-Italic *-elis
Latin -ilis
Latin habilis
Old French ablebor.
Middle English able
English able

    From Middle English able, from Old Northern French able, variant of Old French abile, habile, from Latin habilis (“easily managed, held, or handled; apt; skillful”). Doublet of habile.

    Adjective

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    able (comparative abler, superlative ablest)

    1. Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
      She is able to lift the box without assistance.
    2. Free from constraints preventing completion of task; permitted to; not prevented from. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
      In a democratic world you'd be able to say what you thought wherever you were.
      I'll see you as soon as I'm able.
      With that obstacle removed, I am now able to proceed with my plan.
    3. Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence. [First attested in the mid 16th century.]
      The chairman was also an able sailor.
      • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Youth and Age. XLII.”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, pages 247–248:
        Natures that haue much Heat, and great and violent deſires and Perturbations, are not ripe for Action, till they haue paſſed the Meridian of their yeares: As it was with Iulius Cæſar, and Septimius Seuerus. […] And yet he [Septimus Severus] was the Ableſt Emperour, almoſt, of all the Liſt.
      • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 57:
        Urania speaks with darken’d brow:
        ⁠‘Thou pratest here where thou art least;
        ⁠This faith has many a purer priest,
        And many an abler voice than thou: […] ’
    4. (law) Legally qualified or competent. [First attested in the early 18th century.]
      He is able to practice law in six states.
    5. (nautical) Capable of performing all the requisite duties; as an able seaman. [First attested in the late 18th century.]
    6. (obsolete, dialectal) Having the physical strength; robust; healthy. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
      After the past week of forced marches, only half the men are fully able.
    7. (obsolete) Easy to use. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 18th century.]
      • 1710, Thomas Betterton, The life of Mr. Thomas Betterton, the late eminent tragedian.:
        As the hands are the most habil parts of the body...
    8. (obsolete) Suitable; competent. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 18th century.]
      • 2006, Jon L. Wakelyn, America's Founding Charters: Primary Documents of Colonial and Revolutionary Era Governance, volume 1, Greenwood Publishing Group, page 212:
        […] and for every able man servant that he or she shall carry or send armed and provided as aforesaid, ninety acres of land of like measure.
    9. (obsolete, dialectal) Liable to. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
    10. (obsolete) Rich; well-to-do. [Attested from the mid 16th century until the late 19th century.]
      He was born to an able family.
    Usage notes
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    • In standard English, one is "able to do something". In some older texts representing various dialects, particularly Irish English, or Black American speech, "able for do something" is found instead, and in some Caribbean dialects "able with" is sometimes found.[1][2]
    Synonyms
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    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Etymology 2

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    From Middle English ablen, from Middle English able (adjective).[3]

    Verb

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    able (third-person singular simple present ables, present participle abling, simple past and past participle abled)

    1. (transitive, obsolete) To make ready. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the late 16th century.]
    2. (transitive, obsolete) To make capable; to enable. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 19th century.]
    3. (transitive, obsolete) To dress. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 15th century.]
    4. (transitive, obsolete) To give power to; to reinforce; to confirm. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 17th century.]
    5. (transitive, obsolete) To vouch for; to guarantee. [Attested from the late 16th century until the early 17th century.]
    6. present participle and gerund of can
      I might be able to go.
      I have been able to go, since I was seven.
      I had been able to go before.
      I will be able to go tomorrow.
    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    Etymology 3

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    From the first letter of the word. Suggested in the 1916 United States Army Signal Book to distinguish the letter when communicating via telephone,[4] and later adopted in other radio and telephone signal standards.

    Noun

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    able (uncountable)

    1. (military) The letter "A" in Navy Phonetic Alphabet.

    References

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    1. ^ Joseph Wright, editor (1898), “ABLE”, in The English Dialect Dictionary: […], volume I (A–C), London: Henry Frowde, […], publisher to the English Dialect Society, […]; New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons, →OCLC.
    2. ^ Richard Allsopp, Jeannette Allsopp, Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage (2003), entry "able"
    3. ^ Philip Babcock Gove (editor), Webster's Third International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged (G. & C. Merriam Co., 1976 [1909], →ISBN), page 4
    4. ^ United States Army (1916), Signal Book‎[1], Conventional telephone signals, page 33

    Anagrams

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    French

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    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    able m (plural ables)

    1. a vernacular name of the common bleak (usually called ablette)
    2. a vernacular name of the sunbleak or moderlieschen, also called able de Heckel
    3. (rare) a vernacular name of any of some other related fishes in the genus Alburnus (Cyprinidae)

    Further reading

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    Anagrams

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    Middle English

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    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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      From Old French able, habile, from Latin habilis.

      Pronunciation

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      Adjective

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      able

      1. capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent.

      Descendants

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      • English: able
      • Scots: able, abel, awbel, yible
      • → Welsh: abl

      References

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      Old French

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      Alternative forms

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      Etymology

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        From Latin habilis.

        Pronunciation

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        Adjective

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        able m (oblique and nominative feminine singular able)

        1. able; capable

        Declension

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        Case masculine feminine neuter
        singular subject ables able able
        oblique able able able
        plural subject able ables able
        oblique ables ables able

        Descendants

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        Scots

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        Etymology 1

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        From Middle English able, from Old French able, habile, from Latin habilis.

        Alternative forms

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        Pronunciation

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        Adjective

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        able (superlative ablest)

        1. (obsolete) well-to-do, rich
        2. substantial
        3. physically fit, strong
        4. shrewd, cute, clever
        References
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        Etymology 2

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        Adverb

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        able

        1. alternative form of aible (“perhaps”)

        Tagalog

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        Pronunciation

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        Adjective

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        ablé (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ᜔ᜎᜒ)

        1. alternative form of abli

        Noun

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        ablé (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ᜔ᜎᜒ)

        1. alternative form of abli
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