unable - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

un·a·ble

Audio Help [uhn-ey-buh

l] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

lacking the necessary power, competence, etc., to accomplish some specified act: He was unable to swim.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME; see un-¹, able

]

—Synonyms See incapable.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
unable

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

un·a·ble Audio Help (ŭn-ā'bəl) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Lacking the necessary power, authority, or means; not able; incapable: unable to get to town without a car.
Lacking mental or physical capability or efficiency; incompetent: unable to walk.
Usage Problem Not susceptible to action or treatment: a project unable to be financed with government funds. See Usage Note at able.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
unable (adj.)

c.1380, from un- (1) "not" + able. Modeled on O.Fr. inhabile or L. inhabilis.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

unable
adjective
1.	(usually followed by 'to') not having the necessary means or skill or know-how; "unable to get to town without a car"; "unable to obtain funds" [ant: a cappella]
2.	(usually followed by 'to') lacking necessary physical or mental ability; "dyslexics are unable to learn to read adequately"; "the sun was unable to melt enough snow"
3.	lacking in power or forcefulness; "an ineffectual ruler"; "like an unable phoenix in hot ashes" [syn: ineffective]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
unable [anˈeibl] adjective

without enough strength, power, skill, opportunity, information etc to be able (to do something)
Example: I am unable to get out of bed; I shall be unable to meet you for lunch today.

Arabic:	غَيْر قادِر
Chinese (Simplified):	不能的
Chinese (Traditional):	不能的
Czech:	neschopný
Danish:	ude af stand til
Dutch:	niet in staat
Estonian:	võimetu
Finnish:	kykenemätön
French:	incapable de
German:	außerstande
Greek:	που δεν μπορεί, ανίκανος να κάνει κτ.
Hungarian:	képtelen
Icelandic:	vanmáttugur; ófær, sem getur ekki

Italian:	incapace
Japanese:	～できない
Latvian:	nevarēt atnākt uz tikšanos
Lithuanian:	negalintis, nepajėgiantis
Norwegian:	ute av stand til
Polish:	niezdolny
Portuguese (Portugal):	incapaz
Russian:	неспособный
Slovak:	neschopný, bezmocný, nespôsobilý
Slovenian:	nezmožen
Spanish:	incapaz
Swedish:	oförmögen, ur stånd
Turkish:	gücü yetmeyen, imkânı olmayan

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Unable

In`a*bil"i*ty\, n. [Pref. in- not + ability: cf. F. inhabilet['e]. See Able, and cf. Unable.] The quality or state of being unable; lack of ability; want of sufficient power, strength, resources, or capacity.

It is not from an inability to discover what they ought to do, that men err in practice. --Blair.

Syn: Impotence; incapacity; incompetence; weakness; powerlessness; incapability. See Disability.

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