bəl adjective
1.
having necessary power, skill, resources, or qualifications; qualified: able to lift a two-hundred-pound weight; able to write music; able to travel widely; able to vote.
2.
having unusual or superior intelligence, skill, etc.: an able leader.
3.
showing talent, skill, or knowledge: an able speech.
4.
legally empowered, qualified, or authorized.
noun
5.
(usually initial capital letter) a code word formerly used in communications to represent the letter A.
00:10
Able
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English < Middle French < Latin habilis handy, equivalent to hab(ēre) to have, hold + -ilis -ile
1275–1325; Middle English < Middle French < Latin habilis handy, equivalent to hab(ēre) to have, hold + -ilis -ile
Related forms
o·ver·a·ble, adjective
o·ver·a·b·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1. fit, fitted. Able, capable, competent all mean possessing adequate power for doing something. Able implies power equal to effort required: able to finish in time. Capable implies power to meet or fulfill ordinary requirements: a capable worker. Competent suggests power to meet demands in a completely satisfactory manner: a competent nurse. 2. talented; skilled, clever, ingenious. 3. apt.
1. fit, fitted. Able, capable, competent all mean possessing adequate power for doing something. Able implies power equal to effort required: able to finish in time. Capable implies power to meet or fulfill ordinary requirements: a capable worker. Competent suggests power to meet demands in a completely satisfactory manner: a competent nurse. 2. talented; skilled, clever, ingenious. 3. apt.
Antonyms
1. incompetent.
1. incompetent.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
-able
a suffix meaning “capable of, susceptible of, fit for, tending to, given to,” associated in meaning with the word able, occurring in loanwords from Latin (laudable); used in English as a highly productive suffix to form adjectives by addition to stems of any origin (teachable; photographable).
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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|
Link To able
Collins
World English Dictionary
able (ˈeɪbəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | (postpositive) having the necessary power, resources, skill, time, opportunity, etc, to do something: able to swim |
| 2. | capable; competent; talented: an able teacher |
| 3. | law qualified, competent, or authorized to do some specific act |
| [C14: ultimately from Latin habilis easy to hold, manageable, apt, from habēre to have, hold + -ilis | |
| -able | |
| —suffix forming adjectives | |
| 1. | capable of, suitable for, or deserving of (being acted upon as indicated): enjoyable; pitiable; readable; separable; washable |
| 2. | inclined to; given to; able to; causing: comfortable; reasonable; variable |
| [via Old French from Latin -ābilis,-ībilis, forms of -bilis, adjectival suffix] | |
| -ably | |
| —suffix forming adverbs | |
| -ability | |
| —suffix forming nouns | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
able
mid-14c., from O.Fr. (h)able, from L. habilis "easily handled, apt," verbal adj. from habere "to hold" (see habit). "Easy to be held," hence "fit for a purpose." The silent h- was dropped in Eng. and resisted academic attempts to restore it 16c.-17c., but some derivatives
acquired it (e.g. habiliment, habilitate), via French.
"Able-whackets - A popular sea-game with cards, in which the loser is beaten over the palms of the hands with a handkerchief tightly twisted like a rope. Very popular with horny-fisted sailors." [Smyth, "Sailor's Word-Book," 1867]
-able
suffix expressing ability, capacity, fitness, from Fr., from L. -ibilis, -abilis, forming adjectives from verbs, from PIE *-tro-, a suffix used to form nouns of instrument. In L., infinitives in -are took -abilis, others -ibilis; in Eng., -able is used for native words, -ible for words of obvious L.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary
ABLE definition
languageA simple language for accountants.
["ABLE, The Accounting Language, Programming and Reference Manual," Evansville Data Proc Center, Evansville, IN, Mar 1975].
[Listed in SIGPLAN Notices 13(11):56 (Nov 1978)].
(1994-11-08)
American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
| ABLE Association for Biology Laboratory Education |
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
It was warm enough and she was able to get it cleaned up before evening.
Candidates must be able to present evidence of teaching and research publications excellence.
Or being able to grow, as advertised, those perfect pecs and abs.
Plants that grow on city rooftops need to be able to stand up to constant sunlight and harsh winds.
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