able

• (obsolete) hable

• IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.bəl/, [ˈeɪ̯.bɫ̩]

• Audio (US)

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• Homophone: Abel
• Rhymes: -eɪbəl

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”), from habeō (“have, possess”) +‎ -ibilis.

Broadly ousted the native Old English magan.

able (comparative abler, superlative ablest)

1. Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]
2. Free from constraints preventing completion of task; permitted to; not prevented from. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]

   I’ll see you as soon as I’m able.

   With that obstacle removed, I am now able to proceed with my plan.

   I’m only able to visit you when I have other work here.

   That cliff is able to be climbed.

3. Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence. [First attested in the mid 16^th century.][1]

   The chairman was also an able sailor.

   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Youth and Age. XLII.”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, pages 247–248:

     Natures that haue much Heat, and great and violent deſires and Perturbations, are not ripe for Action, till they haue paſſed the Meridian of their yeares: As it was with Iulius Cæſar, and Septimius Seuerus. […] And yet he [Septimus Severus] was the Ableſt Emperour, almoſt, of all the Liſt.

   • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Canto XXXVII, page 57:

     Urania speaks with darken’d brow:
     ⁠‘Thou pratest here where thou art least;
     ⁠This faith has many a purer priest,
     And many an abler voice than thou: […] ’

4. (law) Legally qualified or competent. [First attested in the early 18^th century.][1]

   He is able to practice law in six states.

5. (nautical) Capable of performing all the requisite duties; as an able seaman. [First attested in the late 18^th century.][1]
6. (obsolete, dialectal) Having the physical strength; robust; healthy. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]

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

7. (obsolete) Easy to use. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 18^th century.][1]
   • 1710, Thomas Betterton, The life of Mr. Thomas Betterton, the late eminent tragedian.:

     As the hands are the most habil parts of the body...

8. (obsolete) Suitable; competent. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 18^th century.][1]
   • 2006, Jon L. Wakelyn, America's Founding Charters: Primary Documents of Colonial and Revolutionary Era Governance, volume 1, Greenwood Publishing Group, page 212:

     […] and for every able man servant that he or she shall carry or send armed and provided as aforesaid, ninety acres of land of like measure.

9. (obsolete, dialectal) Liable to. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]
10. (obsolete) Rich; well-to-do. [Attested from the mid 16^th century until the late 19^th century.][1]

    He was born to an able family.

• In standard English, one is "able to do something". In some older texts representing various dialects, particularly Irish English, or black speech, "able for do something" is found instead, and in some Caribbean dialects "able with" is sometimes found.[2][3]

• See also Thesaurus:skillful

• -able, -ible

From Middle English ablen, from Middle English able (adjective).[4]

able (third-person singular simple present ables, present participle abling, simple past and past participle abled)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To make ready. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the late 16^th century.][1]
2. (transitive, obsolete) To make capable; to enable. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 19^th century.][1]
3. (transitive, obsolete) To dress. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 15^th century.][1]
4. (transitive, obsolete) To give power to; to reinforce; to confirm. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 17^th century.][1]
5. (transitive, obsolete) To vouch for; to guarantee. [Attested from the late 16^th century until the early 17^th century.][1]
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi]:

     None does offend, none....I’ll able ’em.

• abled

From the first letter of the word. Suggested in the 1916 United States Army Signal Book to distinguish the letter when communicating via telephone,[5] and later adopted in other radio and telephone signal standards.

able (uncountable)

1. (military) The letter "A" in Navy Phonetic Alphabet.

• Abel, Bale, Beal, Blea, Ebla, Elba, albe, bael, bale, beal, blea

• Audio

  (file)

able m (plural ables)

1. a vernacular name of the common bleak (usually called ablette)
2. a vernacular name of the sunbleak or moderlieschen, also called able de Heckel
3. (rare) a vernacular name of any of some other related fishes in the genus Alburnus (Cyprinidae)

• “able”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• Abel, Bâle, béal, bêla

• hable

From Old French able, habile, from Latin habilis.

• IPA^(key): /ˈaːbəl/

able

1. capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent.

• English: able
• Scots: able, abel, awbel, yible
• → Welsh: abl

• “āble, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

• abile
• abille
• habile

From Latin habilis.

• IPA^(key): /ˈablə/

able m (oblique and nominative feminine singular able)

1. able; capable

• French: habile
  • → Romanian: abil
• → Middle Dutch: abel
  • Dutch: abel
• → Middle English: able, habil
  • English: able, habile
    • → Welsh: abl

From Middle English able, from Old French able, habile, from Latin habilis.

• abel, awbel, yible

• IPA^(key): /ebl/
• (South) IPA^(key): /jɪbl/
• (North) IPA^(key): /ɑːbl/

able (superlative ablest)

1. (obsolete) well-to-do, rich
2. substantial
3. physically fit, strong
4. shrewd, cute, clever

• “able, adj.” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.

able

1. Alternative form of aible (“perhaps”)

• “able, adv.” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.