able

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Contents

English [edit]

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Alternative forms [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

Etymology 1 [edit]

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

Adjective [edit]

able (comparative abler, superlative ablest)

  1. (obsolete, passive) Easy to use. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 18th century.][1]
    • 1710, Thomas Betterton, The life of Mr. Thomas Betterton, the late eminent tragedian.:
      As the hands are the most habil parts of the body...
  2. (obsolete, passive) Suitable; competent. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 18th century.][1]
    • 2006, Jon L. Wakelyn, America's Founding Charters: Primary Documents of Colonial and Revolutionary Era Governance, Volume 1, Greenwood Publishing Group, pages 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.
  3. (obsolete, dialectal, passive) Liable to. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]
  4. Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]
  5. Free from constraints preventing completion of task; permitted to; not prevented from. [First attested from around 1350 to 1470).][1]
    I’ll see you as soon as I’m able.
    With that obstacle removed, I am now able to proceed with my plan.
    I’m only able to visit you when I have other work here.
    That cliff is able to be climbed.
  6. (obsolete, dialectal) Having the physical strength; robust; healthy. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]
    After the past week of forced marches, only half the men are fully able.
  7. (obsolete) Rich; well-to-do. [Attested from the mid 16th century until the late 19th century.][1]
    He was born to an able family.
  8. Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence. [First attested in the mid 16th century.][1]
    The chairman was also an able sailor.
  9. (law) Legally qualified or competent. [First attested in the early 18th century.][1]
    He is able to practice law in six states.
  10. (nautical) Capable of performing all the requisite duties; as an able seaman. [First attested in the late 18th century.][1]
Synonyms [edit]
Derived terms [edit]
terms derived from able (adjective)
Translations [edit]
healthy — see healthy
permitted to
skillful
legally qualified
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Etymology 2 [edit]

From Middle English ablen, from Middle English able (adjective).[2]

Verb [edit]

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.][1]
  2. (transitive, obsolete) To make capable; to enable. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 19th century.][1]
  3. (transitive, obsolete) To dress. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 15th century.][1]
  4. (transitive, obsolete) To give power to; to reinforce; to confirm. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 17th century.][1]
  5. (transitive, obsolete) To vouch for; to guarantee. [Attested from the late 16th century until the early 17th century.][1]
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
enable — see enable
vouch for — see vouch for

Etymology 3 [edit]

EB1911 - Volume 01 - Page 001 - 1.svg This entry lacks etymological information. If you are familiar with the origin of this term, please add it to the page as described here.

Noun [edit]

able (uncountable)

  1. A word that is used in place of the letter "A" during communication.

Shorthand [edit]

Statistics [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 2003 [1933], Brown, Lesley editor, The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, edition 5th, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7, page 5:
  2. ^ 1976 [1909], Gove, Philip Babcock editor, Webster's Third International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged, Springfield, MA: G. & C. Merriam Co., ISBN 0-87779-101-5, page 4:

Anagrams [edit]

French [edit]

Noun [edit]

able m (plural ables)

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

Anagrams [edit]

Old French [edit]

Alternative forms [edit]

Etymology [edit]

Latin habilis.

Pronunciation [edit]

  • IPA: /a.blə/

Adjective [edit]

able m and f

  1. able; capable

Declension [edit]

  Declension of able  
Number Case Masculine Feminine Neuter
Singular Subject ables able able
Oblique able able able
Plural Subject able ables able
Oblique ables ables able

Descendants [edit]

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