able

== English == === Alternative forms === hable (obsolete) === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /ˈeɪ.bl̩/, [ˈeɪ̯.bɫ̩] (L-Vocalisation) IPA(key): [ˈeɪ̯.bw] (Indic) IPA(key): /ebl̩/ (North India) IPA(key): [eːbɐl] (South India) IPA(key): [eːbɨɭ] Homophone: Abel (most accents) Rhymes: -eɪbəl === Etymology 1 === 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”). Broadly ousted the native Old English magan (modern English may and might), which has taken a different meaning. ==== Adjective ==== able (comparative abler, superlative ablest) Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).] Free from constraints preventing completion of task; permitted to; not prevented from. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).] Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence. [First attested in the mid 16th century.] (law) Legally qualified or competent. [First attested in the early 18th century.] (nautical) Capable of performing all the requisite duties; as an able seaman. [First attested in the late 18th century.] (obsolete, dialectal) Having the physical strength; robust; healthy. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).] (obsolete) Easy to use. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 18th century.] (obsolete) Suitable; competent. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 18th century.] (obsolete, dialectal) Liable to. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).] (obsolete) Rich; well-to-do. [Attested from the mid 16th century until the late 19th century.] ===== Usage notes ===== 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. ===== Synonyms ===== See also Thesaurus:skillful ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== -able, -ible ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English ablen, from Middle English able (adjective). ==== Verb ==== able (third-person singular simple present ables, present participle abling, simple past and past participle abled) (transitive, obsolete) To make ready. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the late 16th century.] (transitive, obsolete) To make capable; to enable. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 19th century.] (transitive, obsolete) To dress. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 15th century.] (transitive, obsolete) To give power to; to reinforce; to confirm. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 17th century.] (transitive, obsolete) To vouch for; to guarantee. [Attested from the late 16th century until the early 17th century.] present participle and gerund of can ===== Derived terms ===== abled ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 3 === From the first letter of the word. Suggested in the 1916 United States Army Signal Book to distinguish the letter when communicating via telephone, and later adopted in other radio and telephone signal standards. ==== Noun ==== able (uncountable) (military) The letter "A" in Navy Phonetic Alphabet. === References === Most glosses: Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “able”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 5. === Anagrams === Abel, Bale, Beal, Blea, Ebla, Elba, albe, bael, bale, beal, blea == French == === Pronunciation === === Noun === able m (plural ables) a vernacular name of the common bleak (usually called ablette) a vernacular name of the sunbleak or moderlieschen, also called able de Heckel (rare) a vernacular name of any of some other related fishes in the genus Alburnus (Cyprinidae) === Further reading === “able”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 === Anagrams === Abel, Bâle, béal, bêla == Middle English == === Alternative forms === hable === Etymology === From Old French able, habile, from Latin habilis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈaːbəl/ === Adjective === able capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent. ==== Descendants ==== English: able Scots: able, abel, awbel, yible → Welsh: abl ==== References ==== “āble, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. == Old French == === Alternative forms === abile abille habile === Etymology === From Latin habilis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈablə/ === Adjective === able m (oblique and nominative feminine singular able) able; capable ==== Declension ==== ==== Descendants ==== French: habile → Romanian: abil → Middle Dutch: abel Dutch: abel → Middle English: able, habil English: able, habile → Welsh: abl == Scots == === Etymology 1 === From Middle English able, from Old French able, habile, from Latin habilis. ==== Alternative forms ==== abel, awbel, yible ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ebl/ (Southern Scots) IPA(key): /jɪbl/ (Northern Scots) IPA(key): /ɑːbl/ ==== Adjective ==== able (superlative ablest) (obsolete) well-to-do, rich substantial physically fit, strong shrewd, cute, clever ===== References ===== “able, adj.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC. === Etymology 2 === ==== Adverb ==== able alternative form of aible (“perhaps”) ===== References ===== “able, adv.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC. == Tagalog == === Pronunciation === (Standard Tagalog) IPA(key): /ʔabˈle/ [ʔɐbˈlɛ] Rhymes: -e Syllabification: ab‧le === Adjective === ablé (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ᜔ᜎᜒ) alternative form of abli === Noun === ablé (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ᜔ᜎᜒ) alternative form of abli