What does able mean?

Definitions for able
ˈeɪ bəlable

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word able.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. ableadjective

    (usually followed by `to') having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

    "able to swim"; "she was able to program her computer"; "we were at last able to buy a car"; "able to get a grant for the project"

  2. able, capableadjective

    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"

  3. ableadjective

    having inherent physical or mental ability or capacity

    "able to learn"; "human beings are able to walk on two feet"; "Superman is able to leap tall buildings"

  4. able, able-bodiedadjective

    having a strong healthy body

    "an able seaman"; "every able-bodied young man served in the army"

Wiktionary

  1. ablenoun

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

  2. ableverb

    To make capable; to enable; to strengthen.

  3. ableverb

    To vouch for.

  4. ableadjective

    Having the physical strength; robust; healthy.

    After the past week of forced marches, only half the men are fully able.

  5. ableadjective

    Having the neccesary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task.

    I'll see you as soon as I'm able.

  6. ableadjective

    Designed and constructed or endowed with the ability to accomplish a specific task.

    That MP3 player is able to hold 5000 songs.

  7. ableadjective

    Free from constraints preventing completion of task; permitted to; not prevented from;

  8. ableadjective

    Situated and constructed in such a way as to be susceptible or commonly subjected to an action or procedure.

    That cliff is able to be climbed.

  9. ableadjective

    Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence.

    The chairman was also an able sailor.

  10. ableadjective

    Rich, well-to-do; fit to cope with.

  11. ableadjective

    Legally qualified or competent.

    In most states, such a person is not able to inherit property.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. ABLEadjective

    Etymology: habile, Fr. habilis, Lat. Skilful, ready.

    He was not afraid of an able man, as Lewis the Eleventh was. But, contrariwise, he was served by the ablest men that were to be found; without which his affairs could not have prospered as they did. Francis Bacon, Henry VII.

    Such other gambol faculties he hath, that shew a weak mind and an able body, for the which the prince admits him: for the prince himself is such another: the weight of an hair will turn the scales. William Shakespeare, Henry IV. p. ii.

    All mankind acknowledge themselves able and sufficient to do many things, which actually they never do. Robert South, Serm.

    Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God, which he hath given thee. Deut. xvi. 17.

    Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? Prov. xxvii. 4.

    There have been some inventions also, which have been able for the utterance of articulate sounds, as the speaking of certain words. John Wilkins, Mathematical Magic.

  2. To Ableverb

    To make able; to enable, which is the word commonly used. See Enable.

    Plate sin with gold,
    And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
    Arm it with rags, a pigmy’s straw doth pierce it.
    None does offend, none, I say none; I’ll able ’em;
    Take that of me, my friend, who have the pow’r
    To seal th’ accuser’s lips. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

ChatGPT

  1. able

    Able refers to having the power, capability, or potential to do something or possess a certain quality or skill. It implies being skilled, competent, or proficient in a particular area or being physically or mentally capable of achieving a certain task or outcome.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Able

    fit; adapted; suitable

  2. Able

    having sufficient power, strength, force, skill, means, or resources of any kind to accomplish the object; possessed of qualifications rendering competent for some end; competent; qualified; capable; as, an able workman, soldier, seaman, a man able to work; a mind able to reason; a person able to be generous; able to endure pain; able to play on a piano

  3. Able

    specially: Having intellectual qualifications, or strong mental powers; showing ability or skill; talented; clever; powerful; as, the ablest man in the senate; an able speech

  4. Able

    legally qualified; possessed of legal competence; as, able to inherit or devise property

  5. Ableadjective

    to make able; to enable; to strengthen

  6. Ableadjective

    to vouch for

  7. Etymology: [See Able, a.]

Wikidata

  1. ABLE

    ABLE is a simplified programming language targeted at accounting applications.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Able

    ā′bl, adj. (comp. A′bler; superl. A′blest) having sufficient strength, power, or means to do a thing: skilful.—adj. A′ble-bod′ied, of a strong body: free from disability, of a sailor, labourer, &c.: robust.—adv. A′bly. [See Ability.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. able

    A term not simply expressive of strong faculties, but as acquainted with and equal to perform the expected duty.--Able seaman, a thorough or regular bred sailor. (See A.B.)--Able-bodied, sound, healthy, and fit for the Royal service.

Editors Contribution

  1. able

    The accurate energy to do

    His mother is able to cook and contribute to family life.


    Submitted by MaryC on January 15, 2020  


  2. able

    To have the health to do

    It is a joy to be able to exercise daily with our family and friends.


    Submitted by MaryC on September 12, 2020  

Suggested Resources

  1. able

    Song lyrics by able -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by able on the Lyrics.com website.

  2. ABLE

    What does ABLE stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the ABLE acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census Records

  1. ABLE

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Able is ranked #12766 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Able surname appeared 2,417 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 would have the surname Able.

    70.8% or 1,712 total occurrences were White.
    22.1% or 536 total occurrences were Black.
    3.3% or 82 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
    1.8% or 44 total occurrences were of two or more races.
    1.2% or 29 total occurrences were Asian.
    0.5% or 14 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native.

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'able' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #297

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'able' in Written Corpus Frequency: #302

  3. Adjectives Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'able' in Adjectives Frequency: #23

Anagrams for able »

  1. abel

  2. blae

  3. bale

  4. bela

  5. albe

  6. beal

How to pronounce able?

How to say able in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of able in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of able in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of able in a Sentence

  1. The President:

    This isn't about workers walking away and refusing to work. It's about workers able to take a step up to provide for themselves and their families.

  2. Sharon McKeeman:

    We know each day students are suffering behind masks, and parents’ concerns are mounting, however, we are thankful our legal team was able to minimize the State’s delay tactics and that the court set our hearing for November 8 instead of a date in March 2022, as suggested by the State. The State’s position confirms that it cares more about expanding its power than doing what is best for our children.

  3. John Brennan:

    Well, I think one can speculate as to why, that the Russians may have something on him personally that they could always roll out and make his life more difficult, clearly, I think it's important for us to be able to improve relations with Russia but the fact that he has had a fawning attitude toward Mr. Putin has not said anything negative about him. He continues to say to me that he does have something to fear.

  4. Jens Nordvig:

    It suggests the BoJ is out of ammunition, and will not be able to deliver anything meaningful going forward.

  5. Sandy Johnson:

    I would like to see it all reversed and for Congress to get rid of the Antiquities Act, tourists are going to pour in and destroy the land and other people won’t be able to use it.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

able#1#727#10000

Translations for able

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • قادر, ماهر, قدير, بارعArabic
  • здо́льныBelarusian
  • компетентен, позволен, в състояние да, способен, умел, годенBulgarian
  • schopný, způsobilýCzech
  • habil, i stand til, kompetent, dygtig, have mulighed forDanish
  • fähig, tüchtig, imstande, kompetentGerman
  • μπορώ να, αρτιμελής, έχων σώας τας φρένας, είμαι ικανός να, ικανός, δυνάμενοςGreek
  • lerta, kompetenta, poviEsperanto
  • capaz, competente, diestro, hábilSpanish
  • pädev, suuteline, võimelineEstonian
  • توانستنPersian
  • kykenevä, taitavaFinnish
  • habilité, capable, expérimentéFrench
  • betûftWestern Frisian
  • ábalta, in annIrish
  • comasachScottish Gaelic
  • מסוגל, יָכֹל, יכולHebrew
  • योग्यHindi
  • կարող, ընդունակ, ունակ, ճարտարArmenian
  • bolehIndonesian
  • capace, abileItalian
  • 腕利き, 有資格, できる, 有能Japanese
  • 능란한, 할 수 있는, 유자격의Korean
  • potis, potens, sanus, habilis, licensLatin
  • spējīgs, izdarīgs, veiklsLatvian
  • dapat, bolehMalay
  • kapaċiMaltese
  • စွမ်းBurmese
  • aanmerking, om, bedreven, de, te, competent, in, in staat, mogelijkheid, hebben, handig, komenDutch
  • i standNorwegian
  • umiejętny, móc, zdolny, potrafić, mieć możliwość, zręcznyPolish
  • permitido, capaz, possível, competentePortuguese
  • abil, competent, capabil, abilitatRomanian
  • способный, компете́нтный, уме́лый, полнопра́вный, спосо́бныйRussian
  • kompetentný, schopnýSlovak
  • ha möjlighet att, kapabel, i stånd att, skicklig, kompetentSwedish
  • قادىر, قابىلUyghur, Uighur
  • khả năngVietnamese
  • skilik, duinafägik, fägikVolapük

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"able." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/able>.

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