1561, from L.L. capabilis "receptive," used by theologians, from L. capax "able to hold much," adj. form of capere "to take, grasp, lay hold, catch, undertake, be large enough for, comprehend," from PIE *kap- "to grasp" (cf. Skt. kapati "two handfuls," Gk. kaptein "to swallow, gulp down," Lett. kampiu "seize," O.Ir. cacht "servant-girl," lit. "captive," Welsh caeth "captive, slave," Goth. haban "have, hold," O.E. hæft "handle," habban "to have, hold;" see have).
(usually followed by 'of') having capacity or ability; "capable of winning"; "capable of hard work"; "capable of walking on two feet" [ant: incapable]
2.
possibly accepting or permitting; "a passage capable of misinterpretation"; "open to interpretation"; "an issue open to question"; "the time is fixed by the director and players and therefore subject to much variation"
3.
(followed by 'of') having the temperament or inclination for; "no one believed her capable of murder" [ant: incapable]
4.
having the requisite qualities for; "equal to the task"; "the work isn't up to the standard I require" [syn: adequate to]
5.
have the skills and qualifications to do things well; "able teachers"; "a capable administrator"; "children as young as 14 can be extremely capable and dependable" [syn: able]
An*tic"i*pate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Anticipated; p. pr. & vb. n. Anticipating.] [L. anticipatus, p. p. of anticipare to anticipate; ante + capere to make. See Capable.]1. To be before in doing; to do or take before another; to preclude or prevent by prior action. To anticipate and prevent the duke's purpose. --R. Hall. He would probably have died by the hand of the executioner, if indeed the executioner had not been anticipated by the populace. --Macaulay. 2. To take up or introduce beforehand, or before the proper or normal time; to cause to occur earlier or prematurely; as, the advocate has anticipated a part of his argument. 3. To foresee (a wish, command, etc.) and do beforehand that which will be desired. 4. To foretaste or foresee; to have a previous view or impression of; as, to anticipate the pleasures of a visit; to anticipate the evils of life. Syn: To prevent; obviate; preclude; forestall; expect. Usage: To Anticipate, Expect. These words, as here compared, agree in regarding some future event as about to take place. Expect is the stringer. It supposes some ground or reason in the mind for considering the event as likely to happen. Anticipate is, literally, to take beforehand, and here denotes simply to take into the mind as conception of the future. Hence, to say, "I did not anticipate a refusal," expresses something less definite and strong than to say, " did not expect it." Still, anticipate is a convenient word to be interchanged with expect in cases where the thought will allow. Good with bad Expect to hear; supernal grace contending With sinfulness of men. --Milton. I would not anticipate the relish of any happiness, nor feel the weight of any misery, before it actually arrives. --Spectator. Timid men were anticipating another civil war. --Macaulay.
Ca"ble\ (k[=a]"b'l), n. [F. c[^a]ble, LL. capulum, caplum, a rope, fr. L. capere to take; cf. D., Dan., & G. kabel, from the French. See Capable.]1. A large, strong rope or chain, of considerable length, used to retain a vessel at anchor, and for other purposes. It is made of hemp, of steel wire, or of iron links. 2. A rope of steel wire, or copper wire, usually covered with some protecting or insulating substance; as, the cable of a suspension bridge; a telegraphic cable. 3. (Arch) A molding, shaft of a column, or any other member of convex, rounded section, made to resemble the spiral twist of a rope; -- called also cable molding. Bower cable, the cable belonging to the bower anchor. Cable road, a railway on which the cars are moved by a continuously running endless rope operated by a stationary motor. Cable's length, the length of a ship's cable. Cables in the merchant service vary in length from 100 to 140 fathoms or more; but as a maritime measure, a cable's length is either 120 fathoms (720 feet), or about 100 fathoms (600 feet, an approximation to one tenth of a nautical mile). Cable tier. (a) That part of a vessel where the cables are stowed. (b) A coil of a cable. Sheet cable, the cable belonging to the sheet anchor. Stream cable, a hawser or rope, smaller than the bower cables, to moor a ship in a place sheltered from wind and heavy seas. Submarine cable. See Telegraph. To pay out the cable, To veer out the cable, to slacken it, that it may run out of the ship; to let more cable run out of the hawse hole. To serve the cable, to bind it round with ropes, canvas, etc., to prevent its being, worn or galled in the hawse, et. To slip the cable, to let go the end on board and let it all run out and go overboard, as when there is not time to weigh anchor. Hence, in sailor's use, to die.
Ca"pa*ble\, a. [F. capable, LL. capabilis capacious, capable, fr. L. caper to take, contain. See Heave.]1. Possessing ability, qualification, or susceptibility; having capacity; of sufficient size or strength; as, a room capable of holding a large number; a castle capable of resisting a long assault. Concious of joy and capable of pain. --Prior. 2. Possessing adequate power; qualified; able; fully competent; as, a capable instructor; a capable judge; a mind capable of nice investigations. More capable to discourse of battles than to give them. --Motley. 3. Possessing legal power or capacity; as, a man capable of making a contract, or a will. 4. Capacious; large; comprehensive. [Obs.] --Shak. Note: Capable is usually followed by of, sometimes by an infinitive. Syn: Able; competent; qualified; fitted; efficient; effective; skillful.
Con*ceive"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Conceived; p. pr. & vb. n. Conceiving.] [OF. conzoivre, concever, conceveir, F. concevoir, fr. L. oncipere to take, to conceive; con- + capere to seize or take. See Capable, and cf. Conception.]1. To receive into the womb and begin to breed; to begin the formation of the embryo of. She hath also conceived a son in her old age. --Luke i. 36. 2. To form in the mind; to plan; to devise; to generate; to originate; as, to conceive a purpose, plan, hope. It was among the ruins of the Capitol that I first conceived the idea of a work which has amused and exercised near twenty years of my life. --Gibbon. Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. --Is. lix. 13. 3. To apprehend by reason or imagination; to take into the mind; to know; to imagine; to comprehend; to understand. "I conceive you." --Hawthorne. O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart Cannot conceive nor name thee! --Shak. You will hardly conceive him to have been bred in the same climate. --Swift. Syn: To apprehend; imagine; suppose; understand; comprehend; believe; think.
De*ceive"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deceived; p. pr. & vb. n. Deceiving.] [OE. deceveir, F. d['e]cevoir, fr. L. decipere to catch, insnare, deceive; de- + capere to take, catch. See Capable, and cf. Deceit, Deception.]1. To lead into error; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to impose upon; to mislead; to cheat; to disappoint; to delude; to insnare. Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. --2 Tim. iii. 13. Nimble jugglers that deceive the eye. --Shak. What can 'scape the eye Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart? --Milton. 2. To beguile; to amuse, so as to divert the attention; to while away; to take away as if by deception. These occupations oftentimes deceived The listless hour. --Wordsworth. 3. To deprive by fraud or stealth; to defraud. [Obs.] Plant fruit trees in large borders, and set therein fine flowers, but thin and sparingly, lest they deceive the trees. --Bacon. Syn: Deceive, Delude, Mislead. Usage: Deceive is a general word applicable to any kind of misrepresentation affecting faith or life. To delude, primarily, is to make sport of, by deceiving, and is accomplished by playing upon one's imagination or credulity, as by exciting false hopes, causing him to undertake or expect what is impracticable, and making his failure ridiculous. It implies some infirmity of judgment in the victim, and intention to deceive in the deluder. But it is often used reflexively, indicating that a person's own weakness has made him the sport of others or of fortune; as, he deluded himself with a belief that luck would always favor him. To mislead is to lead, guide, or direct in a wrong way, either willfully or ignorantly.
E*man"ci*pate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Emancipated; p. pr. & vb. n. Emancipating.] [L. emancipatus, p. p. of emancipare to emancipate; e + mancipare to transfer ownership in, fr. manceps purchaser, as being one who laid his hand on the thing bought; manus hand + capere to take. See Manual, and Capable.] To set free from the power of another; to liberate; as: (a) To set free, as a minor from a parent; as, a father may emancipate a child. (b) To set free from bondage; to give freedom to; to manumit; as, to emancipate a slave, or a country. Brasidas . . . declaring that he was sent to emancipate Hellas. --Jowett (Thucyd. ). (c) To free from any controlling influence, especially from anything which exerts undue or evil influence; as, to emancipate one from prejudices or error. From how many troublesome and slavish impertinences . . . he had emancipated and freed himself. --Evelyn. To emancipate the human conscience. --A. W. Ward.
Ex*cept"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Excepted; p. pr. & vb. n. Excepting.] [L. exceptus, p. p. of excipere to take or draw out, to except; ex out + capere to take: cf. F. excepter. See Capable.]1. To take or leave out (anything) from a number or a whole as not belonging to it; to exclude; to omit. Who never touched The excepted tree. --Milton. Wherein (if we only except the unfitness of the judge) all other things concurred. --Bp. Stillingfleet. 2. To object to; to protest against. [Obs.] --Shak.
In*cep"tion\, n. [L. inceptio, fr. incipere to begin; pref. in- in + capere to take. See Capable.]1. Beginning; commencement; initiation. --Bacon. Marked with vivacity of inception, apathy of progress, and prematureness of decay. --Rawle. 2. Reception; a taking in. [R.] --Poe.
In`ter*cept"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Intercepted; p. pr. & vb. n. Intercepting.] [L. interceptus, p. p. of intercipere to intercept; inter between + capere to take, seize: cf. F. intercepter. See Capable.]1. To take or seize by the way, or before arrival at the destined place; to cause to stop on the passage; as, to intercept a letter; a telegram will intercept him at Paris. God will shortly intercept your breath. --Joye. 2. To obstruct or interrupt the progress of; to stop; to hinder or oppose; as, to intercept the current of a river. Who intercepts me in my expedition? --Shak. We must meet first, and intercept his course. --Dryden. 3. To interrupt communication with, or progress toward; to cut off, as the destination; to blockade. While storms vindictive intercept the shore. --Pope. 4. (Math.) To include between; as, that part of the line which is intercepted between the points A and B. Syn: To cut off; stop; catch; seize; obstruct.
Re*ceive"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Received; p. pr. & vb. n. Receiving.] [OF. receiver, recevoir, F. recevoir, fr. L. recipere; pref. re- re- + capere to take, seize. See See Capable, Heave, and cf. Receipt, Reception, Recipe.]1. To take, as something that is offered, given, committed, sent, paid, or the like; to accept; as, to receive money offered in payment of a debt; to receive a gift, a message, or a letter. Receyven all in gree that God us sent. --Chaucer. 2. Hence: To gain the knowledge of; to take into the mind by assent to; to give admission to; to accept, as an opinion, notion, etc.; to embrace. Our hearts receive your warnings. --Shak. The idea of solidity we receives by our touch. --Locke. 3. To allow, as a custom, tradition, or the like; to give credence or acceptance to. Many other things there be which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots. --Mark vii. 4. 4. To give admittance to; to permit to enter, as into one's house, presence, company, and the like; as, to receive a lodger, visitor, ambassador, messenger, etc. They kindled a fire, and received us every one. --Acts xxviii. 2. 5. To admit; to take in; to hold; to contain; to have capacity fro; to be able to take in. The brazen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings. --1 Kings viii. 64. 6. To be affected by something; to suffer; to be subjected to; as, to receive pleasure or pain; to receive a wound or a blow; to receive damage. Against his will he can receive no harm. --Milton. 7. To take from a thief, as goods known to be stolen. 8. (Lawn Tennis) To bat back (the ball) when served. Receiving ship, one on board of which newly recruited sailors are received, and kept till drafted for service. Syn: To accept; take; allow; hold; retain; admit. Usage: Receive, Accept. To receive describes simply the act of taking. To accept denotes the taking with approval, or for the purposes for which a thing is offered. Thus, we receive a letter when it comes to hand; we receive news when it reaches us; we accept a present when it is offered; we accept an invitation to dine with a friend. Who, if we knew What we receive, would either not accept Life offered, or soon beg to lay it down. --Milton.
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