a·ble

(ā′bəl)

adj. a·bler, a·blest

1. Having sufficient power or resources to accomplish something: a singer able to reach high notes; a detergent able to remove stains.

2. Usage Problem Susceptible to action or treatment: The brakes were able to be fixed.

3. Especially capable or proficient: The new programmers proved to be very able.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin habilis, from habēre, to handle; see ghabh- in Indo-European roots.]

a′bly (ā′blē) adv.

Usage Note: The construction able to takes an infinitive to show the subject's ability to accomplish something: We were able to finish the project thanks to a grant from a large corporation. The new submarine is able to dive twice as fast as the older model. Subjects to which people don't ascribe active roles tend to sound awkward in this construction, especially in passive constructions involving forms of the verb be, as in The problem was able to be solved by using this new method. Here, the use of the passive underscores the subject's not taking an active role, while the use of able suggests the opposite, creating a conflict. In our 2005 survey, only 24 percent of the Usage Panel accepted able in a sentence like this, though 54 percent accepted the use of capable instead (the problem was capable of being solved), suggesting that capable is less jarring. It may be easier just to substitute can or could, which are standard: The problem could be solved by using this new method.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

able

(ˈeɪbəl)

adj

1. (postpositive) having the necessary power, resources, skill, time, opportunity, etc, to do something: able to swim.

2. capable; competent; talented: an able teacher.

3. (Law) law qualified, competent, or authorized to do some specific act

[C14: ultimately from Latin habilis easy to hold, manageable, apt, from habēre to have, hold + -ilis -ile]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

a•ble

(ˈeɪ bəl)

adj. a•bler, a•blest.

1. having the necessary power, skill, resources, or qualifications to do something: able to read music; not able to vote.

2. having or showing unusual talent, intelligence, skill, or knowledge: an able leader.

[1275–1325; Middle English < Middle French < Latin habilis easy to handle, adaptable =hab(ēre) to have, hold + -ilis -ile¹]

-able

a suffix meaning “capable of, susceptible of, fit for, tending to, given to,” associated in meaning with the word able, occurring in loanwords from Latin (laudable); used in English to form adjectives from stems of any origin (teachable; photographable).

Compare -ble, -ible.

[Middle English < Old French < Latin -ābilis]

able

– capable

Able and capable are both used to say that someone can do something.

1. 'able'

If someone is able to do something, they can do it either because of their knowledge or skill, or because it is possible.

He wondered if he would be able to climb over the fence.

They were able to use their profits for new investments.

If you use a past tense, you mean that someone has actually done something.

We were able to reduce costs.

See can - could - be able to

2. 'capable'

If someone is capable of doing something, they have the knowledge and skill to do it.

The workers are perfectly capable of running the organization themselves.

You can say that someone is capable of a particular feeling or action.

He's capable of loyalty.

I don't believe he's capable of murder.

You can also use capable of when you are talking about what something such as a car or machine can do.

The car was capable of 110 miles per hour.

3. 'able' or 'capable'

If you describe someone as able or capable, you mean that they do things well.

He's certainly a capable gardener.

Naomi was a hard-working and able student.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	able - (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" unable - (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"
	2.	able - 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" capable competent - properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient; "a competent typist"
	3.	able - 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" capable - (usually followed by `of') having capacity or ability; "capable of winning"; "capable of hard work"; "capable of walking on two feet"
	4.	able - having a strong healthy body; "an able seaman"; "every able-bodied young man served in the army" able-bodied fit - physically and mentally sound or healthy; "felt relaxed and fit after their holiday"; "keeps fit with diet and exercise"

able

adjective

1. capable, experienced, fit, skilled, expert, powerful, masterly, effective, qualified, talented, gifted, efficient, clever, practised, accomplished, competent, tasty (Brit. informal), skilful, adept, masterful, strong, proficient, adroit, highly endowed They are bright, intelligent, able and confident.
capable weak, inadequate, incapable, incompetent, unfit, ineffective, inefficient, mediocre, inept, amateurish, no great shakes (informal), unskilful

2. (with to) in a position to, capable of, allowed to, free to, up to I'd like to be able to study in peace.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

able

adjective

Having the ability to perform well:

capable, competent, good, skilled, skillful.

Translations

قادِرقَادِر عَلَىمُؤَهَّلمَاهِرْ، بَارِع

schopnýšikovnýzdatnýoprávněný

dygtigi stand tilkompetentkunnesund

fähig geschäftsfähig gesund kompetent stimmberechtigt

ικανός καθιστώ ικανό αρτιμελής

capaz competente hábil idóneo sano

terve

kykenevätaitavaterve

capable compétent expérimenté habile habilité

sposoban

rátermett

fær , getahæfur

abile capace idoneo in grado abilmente

･･･ができるできる

할 수 있는

galintisgeraigerasišmaningaiišmaningas

apdāvināts, kompetentsspējīgs

aanmerkingabelbedreven bekwaam competent

dyktig flink i stand til kunne

zdolny

capaz

abil

способный умелый крепкий

biti zmožennadarjensposoben

skickligkompetent

สามารถ

…-ebilirabilirbecerikli muktedir yetenekli

có khả năng

得以…的有才幹的法律上的能力能能够…的

able

[ˈeɪbl]

A. ADJ

1. to be able to do sth (of acquired skills) → saber hacer algo; (other contexts) → poder hacer algo
the child isn't able to walk (yet) → el niño no sabe andar (todavía)
he's not able to walk → no puede andar
come as soon as you are able → ven en cuanto puedas
I was eventually able to escape → por fin pude escaparme, por fin logré escaparme
able to pay → solvente

2. (= capable) [person] → capaz; [piece of work] → sólido
she is one of our ablest pupils → es una de nuestras alumnas más capaces

B. CPD able seaman N → marinero m de primera or patentado

ABLE, CAN

Poder and saber can both translate to be able to, can and could.
Skills

• Use saber when to be able to, can and could mean "know how to":

Can you type? ¿Sabes escribir a máquina? His wife couldn't drive Su mujer no sabía conducir
Other contexts

• Generally, use poder:

He can stay here Puede quedarse aquí We have not been able to persuade them No hemos podido convencerlos

NOTE When can and could are followed by find or a verb of perception - see, hear, feel, taste or smell - they are usually not translated:

I can't find it No lo encuentro What can you see? ¿Qué ves?
Alternatives to "poder"

• When to be able means "to be capable of", you can often use ser capaz de as an alternative to poder:

I don't think he'll be able to resist it No creo que sea capaz de or pueda resistirlo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

able

[ˈeɪb^əl] adj

to be able to do sth (= be in a position to) → pouvoir faire qch
It would be nice to be able to afford to retire early → Ce serait agréable de pouvoir se permettre de prendre sa retraite plus tôt.

(capability) to be able to do sth (= be capable of) → être capable de faire qch
This frog is able to jump three metres → Cette grenouille est capable de faire des bonds de trois mètres.

(knowledge) to be able to do sth (= know how to) → savoir faire qch
He is able to read and write → Il sait lire et écrire.

(= talented) [pupil, student, musician] → doué(e)able-bodied [ˌeɪb^əlˈbɒdid]

adj (as opposed to disabled) → valide

npl
the able-bodied → les personnes fpl validesable-bodied seaman n (British) → matelot m breveté

able

adj

(= skilled, talented) person → fähig, kompetent; piece of work, exam paper, speech → gekonnt

to be able to do something → etw tun können; if you’re not able to understand that → wenn Sie nicht fähig sind, das zu verstehen; I’m afraid I am not able to give you that information → ich bin leider nicht in der Lage, Ihnen diese Informationen zu geben; you are better able to do it than he is → Sie sind eher dazu in der Lage als er; yes, if I’m able → ja, wenn es mir möglich ist

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

able

[ˈeɪbl] adj (person) → capace, bravo/a; (piece of work) → abile, intelligente
to be able to do sth → poter fare qc, essere in grado di fare qc
he's not able to walk → non può or non è in grado di or non è in condizione di camminare
those who are able to pay → coloro che sono in condizione or che possono permettersi di pagare

able

(ˈeibl) adjective

1. having enough strength, knowledge etc to do something. He was able to open the door; He will come if he is able.

2. clever and skilful; capable. a very able nurse.

3. legally competent. able to vote.

ˈably adverb

able

→ قادِر schopný være i stand til fähig ικανός capaz kykenevä capable sposoban capace ･･･ができる 할 수 있는 bekwaam dyktig zdolny capaz способный skicklig สามารถ muktedir có khả năng 能

able

a. hábil, capaz, apto-a;

vi.

to be ___ → [to be or do something] ser capaz de; poder.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

In this way you have enemies in all those whom you have injured in seizing that principality, and you are not able to keep those friends who put you there because of your not being able to satisfy them in the way they expected, and you cannot take strong measures against them, feeling bound to them.

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In the future shall we be able to write letters to one another?

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There is, moreover, a third sort, an imaginary one, and he ought, if such a one should be presented to his consideration, to be able to discern what sort of one it would be at the beginning; and, when once established, what would be the proper means to preserve it a long time.

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I am still not sure but it is the author's greatest book, and I speak from a thorough acquaintance with every line he has written, except the Virginians, which I have never been able to read quite through; most of his work I have read twice, and some of it twenty times.

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And who is best able to do good to his friends and evil to his enemies in time of sickness?

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I have perused several books of travels with great delight in my younger days; but having since gone over most parts of the globe, and been able to contradict many fabulous accounts from my own observation, it has given me a great disgust against this part of reading, and some indignation to see the credulity of mankind so impudently abused.

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She replied, 'Go farther into the wood until you come to a house, wherein lives an old woman; she will offer you food and drink, but you must not take of either; if you do, you will fall into a deep sleep, and will not be able to help me.

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"Oh, yes; and it's really a great pleasure to me, good Master Gryphus, to see that your arm is doing well, as you are able to hold your lantern with it."

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My mind is settled at last, and I am now able to accept the services which you have so unreservedly offered to me.

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How would the count have borne his dearly loved daughter's illness had he not known that it was costing him a thousand rubles, and that he would not grudge thousands more to benefit her, or had he not known that if her illness continued he would not grudge yet other thousands and would take her abroad for consultations there, and had he not been able to explain the details of how Metivier and Feller had not understood the symptoms, but Frise had, and Mudrov had diagnosed them even better?

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"Why," said the Kite, "do I see you with such a rueful look?' "I seek," she replied, "a mate suitable for me, and am not able to find one." "Take me," returned the Kite, "I am much stronger than you are." "Why, are you able to secure the means of living by your plunder?' "Well, I have often caught and carried away an ostrich in my talons." The Eagle, persuaded by these words, accepted him as her mate.

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Pickwick, though able to sustain a very considerable amount of exertion and fatigue, was not proof against such a combination of attacks as he had undergone on the memorable night, recorded in the last chapter.

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