a·bil·i·ty ( -b l -t )n. pl. a·bil·i·ties 1. The quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, financial, or legal power to accomplish something. 2. A natural or acquired skill or talent. 3. The quality of being suitable for or receptive to a specified treatment; capacity: the ability of a computer to be configured for use as a file server. See Usage Note at able. [Middle English abilite, from Old French habilite, from Latin habilit  s, from habilis, handy; see able.]Synonyms: ability, capacity, faculty, talent, skill, competence, aptitude These nouns denote qualities that enable a person to achieve or accomplish something. Ability is the mental or physical power to do something: "To make a fortune some assistance from fate is essential. Ability alone is insufficient" (Ihara Saikaku). Capacity refers to the potential for acquiring that power: "The capability [women] have shown in the realm of higher education, their achievements in the business world, their capacity for organization . . . have been a revelation" (Susan B. Anthony). Faculty denotes an inherent ability: My lawyer has a faculty for detecting hypocrisy. Talent emphasizes inborn ability, especially in the arts: "There is no substitute for talent. Industry and all the virtues are of no avail" (Aldous Huxley). Skill stresses ability acquired or developed through experience: "The intellect, character and skill possessed by any man are the product of certain original tendencies and the training which they have received" (Edward L. Thorndike). Competence suggests the ability to do something satisfactorily but not necessarily outstandingly: The violinist played the concerto with unquestioned competence but limited imagination. Aptitude implies inherent capacity for learning, understanding, or performing: "She handled her brushes with a certain ease and freedom which came, not from long and close acquaintance with them, but from a natural aptitude" (Kate Chopin). |
ability [əˈbɪlɪtɪ]
n pl -ties
1. possession of the qualities required to do something; necessary skill, competence, or power the ability to cope with a problem
2. considerable proficiency; natural capability a man of ability
3. (plural) special talents
[from Old French from Latin habilitās aptitude, handiness, from habilis able]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  ability - the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishmentadaptability - the ability to change (or be changed) to fit changed circumstances quality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare sensitiveness, sensitivity - the ability to respond to affective changes in your interpersonal environment competence, competency - the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually form - an ability to perform well; "he was at the top of his form"; "the team was off form last night" interoperability - (computer science) the ability to exchange and use information (usually in a large heterogeneous network made up of several local area networks) magical ability, magical power - an ability to perform magic Midas touch - an ability to make and manage large amounts of money penetration - the ability to make way into or through something; "the greater penetration of the new projectiles will result in greater injuries" physical ability - the ability to perform some physical act; contrasting with mental ability contractility - the capability or quality of shrinking or contracting, especially by muscle fibers and even some other forms of living matter capability, capableness - the quality of being capable -- physically or intellectually or legally; "he worked to the limits of his capability" totipotence, totipotency - the ability of a cell to give rise to unlike cells and so to develop a new organism or part; "animal cells lose their totipotency at an early stage in embryonic development" immunocompetence - the ability to develop an immune response following exposure to an antigen |
| 2. |  ability - possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done; "danger heightened his powers of discrimination"know-how - the (technical) knowledge and skill required to do something leadership - the ability to lead; "he believed that leadership can be taught" intelligence - the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience aptitude - inherent ability bilingualism - the ability to speak two languages colloquially mental ability, capacity - the power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior originality - the ability to think and act independently science, skill - ability to produce solutions in some problem domain; "the skill of a well-trained boxer"; "the sweet science of pugilism" acquirement, skill, accomplishment, attainment, acquisition - an ability that has been acquired by training hand - ability; "he wanted to try his hand at singing" superior skill - more than ordinary ability inability - lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something |
ability
noun
1. capability, power, potential, facility, capacity, qualification, competence, proficiency, competency, potentiality No one had faith in his ability to do the job.
capability inability, incompetence, incapacity, powerlessness, incapability
capability inability, incompetence, incapacity, powerlessness, incapability
2. skill, talent, know-how (informal), gift, expertise, faculty, flair, competence, energy, accomplishment, knack, aptitude, proficiency, dexterity, cleverness, potentiality, adroitness, adeptness Her drama teacher spotted her ability.
Translations
ability [əˈbɪlɪtɪ] N
ability [əˈbɪlɪti] n
(= capability) → capacité f, aptitude f
abilities (= competence) → compétences fpl
one's ability to do sth → sa capacité de faire qch, son aptitude à faire qch
to have the ability to do sth → être capable de faire qch
to have the ability to see → être capable de voir
to the best of my ability, to the best of my abilities → de mon mieux
abilities (= competence) → compétences fpl
one's ability to do sth → sa capacité de faire qch, son aptitude à faire qch
to have the ability to do sth → être capable de faire qch
to have the ability to see → être capable de voir
to the best of my ability, to the best of my abilities → de mon mieux
ability
n → Fähigkeit f; ability to pay/hear → Zahlungs-/Hörfähigkeit f; to the best of my ability → nach (besten) Kräften; (with mental activities) → so gut ich es kann; a man of great ability → ein sehr fähiger Mann; his ability in German → seine Fähigkeiten im Deutschen; she has great ability → sie ist ausgesprochen fähig
ability [əˈbɪlɪtɪ] n → capacità f inv, abilità f inv abilities npl → capacità fpl, doti fpl
to the best of my ability → con il massimo impegno
a person of great abilities → una persona molto dotata
to the best of my ability → con il massimo impegno
a person of great abilities → una persona molto dotata
n ability [əˈbiləti]
1 the power, knowledge etc to do something I shall do the job to the best of my ability. vermoë مَقْدِرَة способност schopnost evne die Fähigkeit ικανότητα capacidad võime توان؛ قدرت kyky capacité יְכוֹלֶת योग्यता sposobnost képesség kemampuan geta, hæfni capacità 能力 능력 sugebėjimas kompetence kemampuan vermogen evne umiejętność capacidade posibilitate, putinţă способность schopnosť zmožnost sposobnost förmåga ความสามารถ yetenek 能力 здібність, здатність قابلیت khả năng 能力
2 a skill a man of many abilities. vaardigheid مَهَارَة، مَعْرِفَة умение zručnost evne; færdighed die Fertigkeit επιδεξιότητα habilidad oskus مهارت taito habileté כִּשָׁרוֹן@@@כִּישָׁרוֹן$$$ कौशल vještina tehetség bisanya (sér)kunnátta, færni abilità 技能 재능 gabumas spēja; prasme kebolehan bekwaamheid ferdighet zdolność aptidão aptitudine дарование zručnosť spretnost veština begåvning, färdighet ความมีทักษะ beceri, marifet, hüner 才能 уміння, здібність مہارت tài năng 才能
ability → قدرة schopnost evne Fähigkeit ικανότητα aptitud kyky capacité sposobnost abilità 能力 능력 vermogen evne zdolność capacidade, habilidade способность förmåga ความสามารถ yetenek khả năng 能力
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