able (redirected from ablest)

a·ble  (bl)

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 talented.

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

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ably (bl) adv.

Usage Note: The construction able to takes an infinitive to show the subject's ability to accomplish an action: We were able to get a grant for the project. The new submarine is able to dive twice as fast as the older model. Some people think it should be avoided when the subject does not have an ability, as in sentences with passive constructions involving forms of the verb be: The problem was able to be solved by using a new lab technique. The reasoning here is that since the problem has no ability to accomplish an action, it is not able to do anything, and therefore able to should not be used. Presumably this ban would apply to similar words like capable and to negative words like unable and incapable. In such cases one can usually avoid the problem by using can or could: The problem could be solved.... Keep in mind, however, that passives with get ascribe a more active role to their subjects, and here one can use able to: He was able to get accepted by a top law school.

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able [ˈeɪb^əl]

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

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

Thesaurus

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"

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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.

Translations

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

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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 valides
able-bodied seaman n (British) → matelot m breveté

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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

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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

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able

adj able [ˈeibl]

1 having enough strength, knowledge etc to do something He was able to open the door; He will come if he is able. in staat قَادِر عَلَى способен schopný i stand til; kunne in der Lage που έχει την ικανότητα ή τη δυνατότητα capaz võimeline, suuteline قادر kykenevä capable יָכוֹל समर्थ sposoban képes, tud mampu fær (um), geta capace ～ができる ...할 수 있는 galintis, pajėgus spējīgs boleh in staat i stand til, kunne w stanie capaz. capabil умеющий; способный schopný sposoben sposoban kunna, vara i stånd สามารถทำได้ (yap)abilir 有足夠的力量或知識的 спроможний, здатний قابل ، اہل có khả năng 能夠的

2 clever and skilful; capable a very able nurse. vaardige مَاهِرْ، بَارِع кадърен schopný, zdatný, šikovný dygtig; kompetent fähig ικανός competente võimekas ماهر pätevä compétent מוּכשָׁר चतुर sposoban rátermett cakap, mahir hæfur competente 有能な 유능한 geras, išmaningas apdāvināts, kompetents berkebolehan bekwaam dyktig, flink zdolny competente competent умелый zdatný, nadaný sposoben, spreten vešt duglig, skicklig ที่มีทักษะดี becerikli, yetenekli 有才幹的 здібний, талановитий صاحبِ ہنر có năng lực 有才幹的

3 legally competent able to vote. toegelaat مُؤَهَّل имащ право oprávněný i stand til stimmberechtigt, geschäftsfähig con derecho a kompetentne, pädev; -õiguslik (nt hääleõiguslik) صلاحیت دار oikeutettu כָּשִיר योग्य ima pravo glasa idoneo 法的に～ができる [법] 자격 있는 turintis teisę, veiksnus) layak gerechtigd правомочный oprávnený sposoban สามารถทำได้ตามกฎหมาย ...-ebilir 具有法律賦予的能力 правоздатний قانونی طور پر اہل đủ tư cách 法律上的能力

adv ably

kragtig بِمَقْدِرَة، بِبَرَاعَة умело dovedně, obratně dygtigt; kompetent geschickt επιτήδεια hábilmente osavalt ماهرانه taitavasti habilement בְּכִּשָׁרוֹן @@@בְּכִּישָׁרוֹן$$$,בְּמיוּמָנוּת योग्यतापूर्वक sposobno rátermetten dengan cakap af færni, kunnáttusamlega abilmente うまく 훌륭히, 솜씨있게 gerai, išmaningai spējīgi; prasmīgi pembolehan bekwaam dyktig, flink skutecznie com conpetência cu pricepere, competent умело obratne spretno sposobno skickligt อย่างสามารถ hünerle, beceri ile 能幹地 вправно, спритно قابلیت سے ، لائق طور سے thành thạo 能幹地

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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