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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can ¹

Verb

past could

1. be able to: make sure he can breathe easily

2. be allowed to: you can swim in the large pool [Old English cunnan]

USAGE: See at may.

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can ²

Noun

a metal container, usually sealed, for food or liquids

Verb

[canning, canned]

to put (something) into a can [Old English canne]

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

can [kæn] aux vb see keyword, n [of oil, water] → bidón m (= tin); lata, bote m

vt → enlatar (= preserve); conservar en lata;

a can of beer → una lata or un bote de cerveza;

to carry the can (col) → pagar el pato

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can [negative cannot, can't, conditional and pt could] aux vb 1. (= be able to) → poder;

you can do it if you try → puedes hacerlo si lo intentas;

I can't see you → no te veo;

can you hear me? (not translated) → ¿me oyes?

2. (= know how to) → saber;

I can swim/play tennis/drive → sé nadar/jugar al tenis/conducir;

can you speak French? → ¿hablas or sabes hablar francés?

3. (= may) → poder;

can I use your phone? → ¿me dejas or puedo usar tu teléfono?;

could I have a word with you? → ¿podría hablar contigo un momento?

4. (expressing disbelief, puzzlement etc): it can't be true! → ¡no puede ser (verdad)!;

what CAN he want? → ¿qué querrá?

5. (expressing possibility, suggestion etc): he could be in the library → podría estar en la biblioteca;

she could have been delayed → puede que se haya retrasado

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can¹ [kæn] n [of milk, oil, water] → bidon m (= tin); boîte f (de conserve)

vt → mettre en conserve;

a can of beer → une canette de bière;

he had to carry the can (Brit) (inf) → on lui a fait porter le chapeau see also keyword

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can² [kæn] [cannot, can't , negative , could , conditional and pt ] aux vb 1. (= be able to) → pouvoir;

you can do it if you try → vous pouvez le faire si vous essayez;

I can't hear you → je ne t'entends pas

2. (= know how to) → savoir;

I can swim/play tennis/drive → je sais nager/jouer au tennis/conduire;

can you speak French? → parlez-vous français?

3. (= may) → pouvoir;

can I use your phone? → puis-je me servir de votre téléphone?

4. (expressing disbelief, puzzlement etc);

it can't be true! → ce n'est pas possible!;

what can he want? → qu'est-ce qu'il peut bien vouloir?

5. (expressing possibility, suggestion etc);

he could be in the library → il est peut-être dans la bibliothèque;

she could have been delayed → il se peut qu'elle ait été retardée;

they could have forgotten → ils ont pu oublier

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can¹ [kæn] n → Büchse f, Dose f;

(for oil, water) → Kanister m

vt → eindosen, in Büchsen or Dosen einmachen;

a can of beer → eine Dose Bier;

he had to carry the can (Brit) (inf) → er musste die Sache ausbaden

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can² [cannot, can't , negative , could , conditional and pt ] aux vb 1. (= be able to, know how to) → können;

you can do it if you try → du kannst es, wenn du es nur versuchst;

I can't see you → ich kann dich nicht sehen;

I can swim/drive → ich kann schwimmen/Auto fahren;

can you speak English? → sprechen Sie Englisch?

2. (= may) → können, dürfen;

can I use your phone? → kann or darf ich Ihr Telefon benutzen?;

could I have a word with you? → könnte ich Sie mal sprechen?

3. (expressing disbelief, puzzlement);

it can't be true! → das darf doch nicht wahr sein!

4. (expressing possibility, suggestion, etc);

he could be in the library → er könnte in der Bibliothek sein

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can [kæn] (aux vb see keyword) n [of milk] → scatola; [of oil] → bidone m [of water] → tanica (= tin); scatola

vt → mettere in scatola;

a can of beer → una lattina di birra;

to carry the can (BRIT ) (col) → prendere la colpa

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can [kæn] [negative cannot, can't, conditional and pt could] aux vb 1. (= be able to) → potere;

I can't go any further → non posso andare oltre;

you can do it if you try → sei in grado di farlo Ð basta provarci;

I'll help you all I can → ti aiuterò come potrò;

I can't see you → non ti vedo;

can you hear me? → mi senti?, riesci a sentirmi?

2. (= know how to) → sapere, essere capace di;

I can swim → so nuotare;

can you speak French? → parla francese?

3. (= may) → potere;

could I have a word with you? → posso parlarle un momento?

4. (expressing disbelief, puzzlement etc): it can't be true! → non può essere vero!;

what CAN he want? → cosa può mai volere?

5. (expressing possibility, suggestion etc): he could be in the library → può darsi che sia in biblioteca;

they could have forgotten → potrebbero essersene dimenticati;

she could have been delayed → può aver avuto un contrattempo

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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 ...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 ...할 줄 알다 mokėti prast boleh kunnen kunne potrafić saber a şti уметь vedieť znati umeti kan สามารถที่จะ ...-ebilir 會 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 ...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 도대체 ...일까? galėtų varētu boleh videorecorder mon tro, gadd vite móc poder a putea может môcť neki uopšte kan ใช้ในประโยคคำถามแสดงความประหลาดใจ ...-e bilmek 究竟能(用于疑問句﹐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