can

can ¹  (kn; kn when unstressed)

aux.v. Past tense could (kd)

1.

a. Used to indicate physical or mental ability: I can carry both suitcases. Can you remember the war?

b. Used to indicate possession of a specified power, right, or privilege: The President can veto congressional bills.

c. Used to indicate possession of a specified capability or skill: I can tune the harpsichord as well as play it.

2.

a. Used to indicate possibility or probability: I wonder if my long lost neighbor can still be alive. Such things can and do happen.

b. Used to indicate that which is permitted, as by conscience or feelings: One can hardly blame you for being upset.

c. Used to indicate probability or possibility under the specified circumstances: They can hardly have intended to do that.

3. Usage Problem Used to request or grant permission: Can I be excused?

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[Middle English, first and third person sing. present tense of connen, to know how, from Old English cunnan; see gn- in Indo-European roots.]

Usage Note: Generations of grammarians and teachers have insisted that can should be used only to express the capacity to do something, and that may must be used to express permission. But children do not use can to ask permission out of a desire to be stubbornly perverse. They have learned it as an idiomatic expression from adults: After you clean your room, you can go outside and play. As part of the spoken language, this use of can is perfectly acceptable. This is especially true for negative questions, such as Can't I have the car tonight? probably because using mayn't instead of can't sounds unnatural. Nevertheless, in more formal usage the distinction between can and may still has many adherents. Only 21 percent of the Usage Panel accepts can instead of may in the sentence Can I take another week to submit the application? The heightened formality of may sometimes highlights the speaker's role in giving permission. You may leave the room when you are finished implies that permission is given by the speaker. You can leave the room when you are finished implies that permission is part of a rule or policy rather than a decision on the speaker's part. For this reason, may sees considerable use in official announcements: Students may pick up the application forms tomorrow.

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can ²  (kn)

n.

1. A usually cylindrical metal container.

2.

a. An airtight container, usually made of tin-coated iron, in which foods or beverages are preserved.

b. The contents of such a container.

3. Slang A jail or prison.

4. Slang A toilet or restroom.

5. Slang The buttocks.

6. Slang A naval destroyer.

tr.v. canned, can·ning, cans

1. To seal in an airtight container for future use; preserve: canning peaches.

2. Slang To make a recording of: can the audience's applause for a TV comedy show.

3. Slang To dismiss from employment or school. See Synonyms at dismiss.

4. Slang To put a stop to; quit: Let's can the chatter.

Idioms:

can of worms

A complex or difficult problem.

in the can

Completed and ready for release, as a film or scene of a film.

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[Middle English canne, a water container, from Old English.]

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canner n.

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can¹

vb past could (takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive) (intr)

1. used as an auxiliary to indicate ability, skill, or fitness to perform a task I can run a mile in under four minutes

2. used as an auxiliary to indicate permission or the right to something can I have a drink?

3. used as an auxiliary to indicate knowledge of how to do something he can speak three languages fluently

4. used as an auxiliary to indicate the possibility, opportunity, or likelihood my trainer says I can win the race if I really work hard

[Old English cunnan; related to Old Norse kunna, Old High German kunnan, Latin cognōscere to know, Sanskrit jānāti he knows; see ken, uncouth]

Usage: See at may

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can²

n

1. a container, esp for liquids, usually of thin sheet metal a petrol can beer can

2. another name (esp US) for tin (metal container)

3. Also called canful the contents of a can or the amount a can will hold

4. a slang word for prison

5. US and Canadian a slang word for toilet, buttocks

6. (Military) US Navy a slang word for destroyer

7. (Military) Naval slang a depth charge

8. (Performing Arts) a shallow cylindrical metal container of varying size used for storing and handling film

can of worms Informal a complicated problem

carry the can See carry [37]

in the can

a.  (Performing Arts) (of a film, piece of music, etc.) having been recorded, processed, edited, etc.

b.  Informal arranged or agreed the contract is almost in the can

vb cans, canning, canned

1. to put (food, etc.) into a can or cans; preserve in a can

2. (tr) US slang to dismiss from a job

3. (tr) US informal to stop (doing something annoying or making an annoying noise) (esp in the phrase can it!)

4. (tr) Informal to reject or discard

[Old English canne; related to Old Norse, Old High German kanna, Irish gann, Swedish kana sled]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	can - airtight sealed metal container for food or drink or paint etc. tin can, tin beer can - a can that holds beer caddy, tea caddy - a can for storing tea cannikin - a small can coffee can - a can for storing ground coffee container - any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another) milk can - large can for transporting milk oilcan - a can with a long nozzle to apply oil to machinery soda can - a can for holding soft drinks
	2.	can - the quantity contained in a can canful containerful - the quantity that a container will hold
	3.	can - a buoy with a round bottom and conical top can buoy buoy - bright-colored; a float attached by rope to the seabed to mark channels in a harbor or underwater hazards
	4.	can - the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on; "he deserves a good kick in the butt"; "are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?" arse, ass, behind, buttocks, derriere, fanny, hind end, hindquarters, keister, nates, posterior, prat, buns, rear end, tooshie, tush, seat, fundament, backside, bottom, rump, stern, tail end, tail, butt, rear, bum body part - any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity torso, trunk, body - the body excluding the head and neck and limbs; "they moved their arms and legs and bodies"
	5.	can - a plumbing fixture for defecation and urination commode, crapper, potty, pot, throne, toilet, stool bathroom, bath - a room (as in a residence) containing a bathtub or shower and usually a washbasin and toilet flushless toilet - a toilet that relies on bacteria to break down waste matter (instead of using water) flush toilet, lavatory - a toilet that is cleaned of waste by the flow of water through it plumbing fixture - a fixture for the distribution and use of water in a building potty chair, potty seat - toilet consisting of a small seat used by young children john, lav, lavatory, privy, toilet, bathroom, can - a room or building equipped with one or more toilets toilet bowl - the bowl of a toilet that can be flushed with water toilet seat - the hinged seat on a toilet
	6.	can - a room or building equipped with one or more toilets john, lav, lavatory, privy, toilet, bathroom head - (nautical) a toilet on board a boat or ship public convenience, public lavatory, public toilet, restroom, toilet facility, wash room, comfort station, convenience - a toilet that is available to the public room - an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling; "the rooms were very small but they had a nice view" commode, crapper, potty, pot, throne, toilet, stool, can - a plumbing fixture for defecation and urination washroom - a lavatory (particularly a lavatory in a public place) loo, W.C., water closet, closet - a toilet in Britain
Verb	1.	can - preserve in a can or tin; "tinned foods are not very tasty" tin, put up cookery, cooking, preparation - the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat; "cooking can be a great art"; "people are needed who have experience in cookery"; "he left the preparation of meals to his wife" preserve, keep - prevent (food) from rotting; "preserved meats"; "keep potatoes fresh"
	2.	can - terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position; "The boss fired his secretary today"; "The company terminated 25% of its workers" give notice, give the axe, give the sack, sack, send away, force out, displace, fire, dismiss, terminate retire - make (someone) retire; "The director was retired after the scandal" pension off - let go from employment with an attractive pension; "The director was pensioned off when he got senile" clean out - force out; "The new boss cleaned out the lazy workers" furlough, lay off - dismiss, usually for economic reasons; "She was laid off together with hundreds of other workers when the company downsized" squeeze out - force out; "Some employees were squeezed out by the recent budget cuts" remove - remove from a position or an office send away, send packing, dismiss, drop - stop associating with; "They dropped her after she had a child out of wedlock"

Translations

can¹ [kæn] MODAL AUX VB (cannot (can't (neg)) (could (condit, pt)))

1. (= be able to) → poder
he can do it if he tries hard → puede hacerlo si se esfuerza
I can't or cannot go any further → no puedo seguir
I'll tell you all I can → te diré todo lo que pueda
he will do all he can to help you → hará lo posible por ayudarte
you can but ask → con preguntar no se pierde nada
they couldn't help it → ellos no tienen la culpa
"have another helping" - "I really couldn't" → -¿otra ración? -no puedo

2. (= know how to) → saber
he can't swim → no sabe nadar
can you speak Italian? → ¿sabes(hablar)italiano?

3. (= may) → poder
can I use your telephone? → ¿puedo usar su teléfono?
can I have your name? → ¿me dice su nombre?
could I have a word with you? → ¿podría hablar contigo un momento?
can't I come too? → ¿puedo ir también?

4. (with verbs of perception: not translated) I can hear it → lo oigo
I couldn't see it anywhere → no lo veía en ninguna parte
I can't understand why → no comprendo por qué

5. (expressing disbelief, puzzlement) that cannot be! → ¡eso no puede ser!, ¡es imposible!
he can't have said that → no puede haber dicho eso
they can't have left already! → ¡no es posible que ya se han ido!
how could you lie to me! → ¿cómo pudiste mentirme?
how can you say that? → ¿cómo te atreves a decir eso?
you can't be serious! → ¿lo dices en serio?
it can't be true! → ¡no puede ser!
what can he want? → ¿qué querrá?
where on earth can she be? → ¿dónde demonios puede estar?

6. (expressing possibility, suggestion etc) he could be in the library → puede que esté en la biblioteca
you could try telephoning his office → ¿por qué no le llamas a su despacho?
they could have forgotten → puede(ser)que se hayan olvidado
you could have told me! → ¡podías habérmelo dicho!
it could have been a wolf → podía ser un lobo
I reckon you could have got a job last year → creo que podías obtener un trabajo el año pasado

7. (= want to)
I'm so happy I could cry → soy tan feliz que me dan ganas de llorar or que me voy a echar a llorar
I could have cried → me daban ganas de llorar
I could scream! → ¡es para volverse loco!

8. (= be occasionally capable of) she can be very annoying → a veces te pone negro
it can get very cold here → aquí puede llegar a hacer mucho frío

9. (in comparisons) I'm doing it as well as I can → lo hago lo mejor que puedo
as cheap as can be → lo más barato posible
as big as big can be → lo más grande posible
she was as happy as could be → estaba de lo más feliz

10. could do with: I could do with a drink → ¡qué bien me vendría una copa!
we could do with a bigger house → nos convendría una casa más grande ABLE, CAN

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can² [kæn]

A. N

1. (= container) (for foodstuffs) → bote m, lata f; (for oil, water etc) → bidón m
a can of beer → una lata de cerveza
a can of worms → un asunto peliagudo
to open a can of worms → abrir la caja de Pandora
(to be left) to carry the can (Brit) → pagar el pato

2. (esp US) (= garbage can) → cubo m or (LAm) bote m or tarro m de la basura

3. (Cine) [of film] → lata f
it's in the can → está en el bote

4. (US) (= prison) → chirona f

5. (US) (= toilet) → wáter m

6. (US) (= buttocks) → culo m

B. VT

1. [+ food] → enlatar, envasar
can it! (US) → ¡cállate!

2. (US) (= dismiss) [+ employee] → despedir

C. CPD can opener N → abrelatas m inv

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can¹ [ˈkæn]

n

[oil, petrol] → bidon m
a can of petrol → un bidon d'essence

(= tin) [vegetables, fruit, fish] → boîte f (de conserve); [beer, coke] → cannette f
a can of sweetcorn → une boîte de maïs
a can of beer → une cannette de bière
it's in the can → c'est dans la boîte

to carry the can (British) (= take responsibility) → payer les pots cassés
He had to carry the can → Il a dû payer les pots cassés.

vt [+ food] → mettre en conserve

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can² [ˈkæn](STRONG) [kən] [cannot, can't] (negative) [could] (conditional and pt) modal aux vb

(= be able to) → pouvoir
You can do it if you try → Vous pouvez le faire si vous essayez.
I can't come → Je ne peux pas venir.
I can't hear you
BUT Je ne t'entends pas.
I can't remember
BUT Je ne m'en souviens pas.

(= know how to) → savoir
I can swim → Je sais nager.
He can't drive → Il ne sait pas conduire.
I can play tennis → Je sais jouer au tennis.
Can you speak French?
BUT Parlez-vous français?.

(= may) → pouvoir
Can I use your phone? → Est-ce que je peux me servir de votre téléphone?
can I help you? → est-ce que je peux vous aider?

(expressing disbelief, puzzlement)
That can't be true! → Ce n'est pas possible!
What CAN he want? → Qu'est-ce qu'il peut bien vouloir?
see also could

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can in cpds → Büchsen-, Dosen-

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can¹ pret <could>

modal aux vb (defective parts supplied by to be able to)

(= be able to) → können; can you come tomorrow? → kannst du morgen kommen?; I can’t or cannot go to the theatre tomorrow → ich kann morgen nicht ins Theater (gehen); I’ll do it if I can → wenn ich kann(, tue ich es); he’ll help you all he can → er wird sein Möglichstes tun, er wird tun, was in seinen Kräften steht; as soon as it can be arranged → sobald es sich machen lässt; could you tell me … → können or könnten Sie mir sagen, …; can you speak German? → können or sprechen Sie Deutsch?; we can but hope that…, we can only hope that … → wir können nur hoffen, dass …; they could not (help) but condemn it → sie konnten nicht anders, als das zu verurteilen

(= may) → dürfen, können; can I come too? → kann ich mitkommen?; can or could I take some more? → darf ich mir noch etwas or noch einmal nehmen?; you can go now → Sie können jetzt gehen; can I help? → darf or kann ich Ihnen helfen?; could I possibly go with you? → könnte or dürfte ich vielleicht mitkommen?; I’d like to go, can I? — no, you can’t → ich würde gerne gehen, darf ich? — nein, du darfst nicht; can I use your car? — no, you can’t → kann or darf ich dein Auto nehmen? — nein

(expressing surprise etc) → können; how can/could you say such a thing! → wie können/konnten Sie nur or bloß so etwas sagen!; where can it be? → wo kann das bloß sein?; where can they have gone? → wo können sie denn nur hingegangen sein?; you can’t be serious → das kann doch wohl nicht dein Ernst sein

(expressing possibility) → können; it could be that he’s got lost → vielleicht hat er sich verlaufen, (es ist) möglich, dass er sich verlaufen hat; could he have got lost? → ob er sich wohl or vielleicht verlaufen hat?; he could be on the next train → er könnte im nächsten Zug sein; and it could have been such a good party! → und es hätte so eine gute Party sein können!; to think he could have become a doctor → wenn man bedenkt, dass er hätte Arzt werden können

(with verbs of perception) → können; can you hear me? → hören Sie mich?, können Sie mich hören?

(= be capable of occasionally) → können; she can be very nice when she wants to → wenn sie will, kann sie sehr nett sein

(indicating suggestion) → können; you could try telephoning him → Sie könnten ihn ja mal anrufen; you could have been a little more polite → Sie hätten etwas höflicher sein können; you could have told me → das hätten Sie mir auch sagen können

(= feel inclined to) → können; I could have murdered her → ich hätte sie umbringen können

we could do with some new furniture → wir könnten neue Möbel gebrauchen; I could do with a drink now → ich könnte jetzt etwas zu trinken vertragen; this room could do with a coat of paint → das Zimmer könnte mal wieder gestrichen werden; he looks as though he could do with a wash/haircut → ich glaube, er müsste sich mal waschen/er müsste sich (dat) → mal wieder die Haare schneiden lassen

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can²

n

(= container) → Kanister m; (= milk can) → Kanne f; (esp US: = garbage can) → (Müll)eimer m; in the can (Film) → im Kasten; the contract’s in the can (inf) → wir haben den Vertrag in der Tasche (inf); to carry the can (Brit fig inf) → die Sache ausbaden (inf)

(= tin) → Dose f; (of food also) → Büchse f; a can of beer → eine Dose Bier; a beer can → eine Bierdose; a can of paint → eine Dose Farbe; (with handle) → ein Eimer m → Farbe ? worm N a

(US inf: = prison) → Knast m (inf)

(US inf: = lavatory) → Klo nt (inf), → Scheißhaus nt (sl)

vt

foodstuffs → einmachen, eindosen ? canned

(inf) can it! → Klappe! (inf)

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can² [kæn]

1. n (container, for foodstuffs) → scatola; (for oil, water) → latta (esp Am) (garbage can) → bidone m
a can of beer → una lattina di birra
to carry the can (Brit) (fam) → prendere la colpa

2. vt (food) → inscatolare

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can² [kæn]

1. n (container, for foodstuffs) → scatola; (for oil, water) → latta (esp Am) (garbage can) → bidone m
a can of beer → una lattina di birra
to carry the can (Brit) (fam) → prendere la colpa

2. vt (food) → inscatolare

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can¹

v can [kӕn]

1 to be able to You can do it if you try hard. kan يَسْتَطيعُ мога moci kunne können μπορώ να poder võima, suutma توانستن voida, pystyä pouvoir יָכוֹל समर्थ होना moći tud, -hat, -het mampu geta potere, essere capace ～できる (~을) 할 수 있다 galėti varēt boleh kunnen kunne móc conseguir a putea, a i se permite мочь môcť moči moći kan สามารถ ...-ebilir 能 могти کر سکنا khả năng 能

2 to know how to Can you drive a car? kan يَعْرِفُ зная как umět kunne können μπορώ (ξέρω) να saber oskama بلد بودن osata savoir יוֹדֵע ל- सकना znati, umjeti tud bisa kunna sapere ～できる (~하는) 방법을 알다 mokėti prast boleh kunnen kunne potrafić saber a şti уметь vedieť znati umeti kan สามารถที่จะ ...-ebilir 會，懂 уміти کرنا جاننا chỉ khả năng 会

3 (usuallymay) to have permission to You can go if you behave yourself. kan مَسْموح، مُمْكِن разрешено ти е smět få lov dürfen μπορώ (μου επιτρέπεται) να poder, estar permitido võima اجازه داشتن saada pouvoir רַשַאי इजाजत देना smjeti szabad, -hat, -het boleh mega, geta potere ～してもよい (~을) 해도 좋다 galėti drīkstēt dibenarkan mogen få lov til, kunne móc, mieć zezwolenie poder a putea мочь smieť lahko moći kan få, får ได้รับอนุญาต ...-ebilir 可以 могти, мати право اجازت لینا chỉ sự cho phép 可以

4 used in questions to indicate surprise, disbelief etc What can he be doing all this time? kan تُسْتَعْمَلُ في السؤال للتعبير عن المفاجأه възможно ли е moci gide vide können μπορώ...(σε ερώτηση) poder võima ممکن بودن voida pouvoir יָכוֹל अचरज जताने के लिए प्रश्नों में उपयोग किया जाता है moći -hat, -het bisa geta potere いったい～かしら (~을) 할 수 있겠는가? (놀라움 불신의 표현) galėtų varētu boleh videorecorder mon tro, gadd vite móc poder a putea может môcť neki uopšte kan ใช้ในประโยคคำถามแสดงความประหลาดใจ ...-e bilmek 究竟 (用於疑問句﹐表示驚訝﹑難以相信) виражає сумнів, невпевненість, вагання, недовір'я حیرانگی ، غیر یقینی کیفیت کو ظاہر کرتا ہے sử dụng trong câu hỏi ám chỉ sự ngạc nhiên 究竟能

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can²

n can [kӕn]

a metal container for liquids and many types of food oil-can; beer-can; six cans of beer. blik, blikkie عُلْبَه кен plechovka, nádoba kande; dåse die Kanne, die Dose κονσέρβα, κουτί lata, bote kann, purk, kanister قوطی kannu, tölkki, kanisteri bidon, boîte de conserve פָּחִית कैन limenka, konzerva kanna kaleng dós bidone; barattolo; lattina 缶 깡통 skardinė kanna; skārda trauks; konservu kārba tin blik (hermetikk)boks; kanne puszka lata cutie (de conserve/de răcori­toare/ de bere) (консервная) банка plechovica konzerva, pločevinka konzerva burk, kanna กระป๋อง teneke kutu 鐵罐 бляшанка ڈبہ ، کُپی ، کنستر cái hộp 铁罐

v – past tense, past participle canned –

to put (especially food) into cans, usually to preserve it a factory for canning raspberries. blik يُعَلِّبُ консервирам naložit fylde i kande; komme på dåse eindosen κονσερβοποιώ enlatar konservima کنسرو کردن säilöä mettre en conserve לְשַמֵר डिब्बा में बंद करना konzervirati konzervál mengalengkan niðursjóða (á dósir eða krukkur) mettere in scatola*, inscatolare 缶詰めにする 통조림으로 만들다 konservuoti konservēt mengetin inblikken hermetisere, konservere puszkować enlatar a conserva консервировать dať do plechovice, konzervovať konzervirati konzervirati konservera, lägga in บรรจุกระป๋อง kutulamak, conserve yapmak 裝罐 консервувати ڈبوں میں بند کرنا đóng hộp 装罐

adj canned

put in cans canned peas. geblikte مُعَلَّبُ консервиран v konzervě dåse- Dosen-... κονσερβοποιημένος en conserva konserv- کنسرو شده säilötty, säilyke- en conserve מְשוּמַר डिब्बाबंद konzerviran konzerv-/-konzerv kalengan dósa- in scatola 缶詰めの 통조림 된 konservuotas konservēts ditinkan ingeblikt hermetisert, bokse- w puszkach enlatado conservat консервированный konzervovaný konzerviran konzerviran konserverad ที่บรรจุกระป๋อง konserve 罐裝的 консервований ڈبوں میں ڈالا ہوا được đóng hộp 罐装的

n cannery

a factory where goods are canned. inmaakfabriek مَصْنَع تَعْليب консервна фабрика konzervárna konservesfabrik die Konservenfabrik κονσερβοποιείο fábrica de conservas konservitehas کارخانۀ کنسرو سازی säilyketehdas conserverie בֵּית חֲרוֹשֶת לְשִימוִּרים डिब्बाबंद करने का कारखाना tvornica konzerva konzervgyár pengalengan niðursuðuverksmiðja conservificio 缶詰め工場 통조림 공장 konservų fabrikas konservu fabrika kilang pengetinan conservenfabriek hermetikkfabrikk fabryka konserw fábrica de enlatados fabrică de con­serve консервный завод konzerváreň tovarna konzerv fabrika konzervi konservfabrik โรงงานบรรจุอาหารกระป๋อง konserve fabrikası 裝罐廠 консервний завод ڈبوں میں پیک کرنے والا کارخانہ nhà máy đồ hộp 罐头厂

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can → يُعَلب moci kan können μπορώ poder osata pouvoir moći potere ･･･できる ...할 수 있다 inblikken kan móc poder мочь kunna บรรจุกระป๋อง สามารถ yapabilmek đóng hộp 能