able

• (obsolete) hable

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.bl̩/, /ˈeɪ.bəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪbəl
• Homophone: Abel

From Middle English able, from Old Northern French able, variant of Old French abile, habile, from Latin habilis (“easily managed, held, or handled; apt; skillful”), from habeō (“have, hold”).

able (comparative abler, superlative ablest)

1. (obsolete, passive) Easy to use. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 18^th century.][1]
   • 1710, Thomas Betterton, The life of Mr. Thomas Betterton, the late eminent tragedian.:

     As the hands are the most habil parts of the body...

2. (obsolete, passive) Suitable; competent. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 18^th century.][1]
   • 2006, Jon L. Wakelyn, America's Founding Charters: Primary Documents of Colonial and Revolutionary Era Governance, volume 1, Greenwood Publishing Group, page 212:

     […] and for every able man servant that he or she shall carry or send armed and provided as aforesaid, ninety acres of land of like measure.

3. (obsolete, dialectal, passive) Liable to. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]
4. Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]
5. Free from constraints preventing completion of task; permitted to; not prevented from. [First attested from around 1350 to 1470).][1]

   I’ll see you as soon as I’m able.

   With that obstacle removed, I am now able to proceed with my plan.

   I’m only able to visit you when I have other work here.

   That cliff is able to be climbed.

6. (obsolete, dialectal) Having the physical strength; robust; healthy. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][1]

   After the past week of forced marches, only half the men are fully able.

7. (obsolete) Rich; well-to-do. [Attested from the mid 16^th century until the late 19^th century.][1]

   He was born to an able family.

8. Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence. [First attested in the mid 16^th century.][1]

   The chairman was also an able sailor.

   • 1625, Francis Bacon, “Of Youth and Age. XLII.”, in The Essayes or Covncils, Civill and Moral, […] Newly Written, London: Printed by Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, OCLC 863521290; newly enlarged edition, London: Printed by Iohn Haviland, […], 1632, OCLC 863527675, pages 247–248:

     Natures that haue much Heat, and great and violent deſires and Perturbations, are not ripe for Action, till they haue paſſed the Meridian of their yeares: As it was with Iulius Cæſar, and Septimius Seuerus. […] And yet he [Septimus Severus] was the Ableſt Emperour, almoſt, of all the Liſt.

9. (law) Legally qualified or competent. [First attested in the early 18^th century.][1]

   He is able to practice law in six states.

10. (nautical) Capable of performing all the requisite duties; as an able seaman. [First attested in the late 18^th century.][1]

• See also Thesaurus:skillful

From Middle English ablen, from Middle English able (adjective).[2]

able (third-person singular simple present ables, present participle abling, simple past and past participle abled)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To make ready. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the late 16^th century.][1]
2. (transitive, obsolete) To make capable; to enable. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 19^th century.][1]
3. (transitive, obsolete) To dress. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 15^th century.][1]
4. (transitive, obsolete) To give power to; to reinforce; to confirm. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid 17^th century.][1]
5. (transitive, obsolete) To vouch for; to guarantee. [Attested from the late 16^th century until the early 17^th century.][1]
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act IV, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:

     vi

     None does offend, none....I’ll able ’em.

• abled

From the first letter of the word. Suggested in the 1916 United States Army Signal Book to distinguish the letter when communicating via telephone,[3] and later adopted in other radio and telephone signal standards.

able (uncountable)

1. (military) The letter "A" in Navy Phonetic Alphabet.

• Abel, Bale, Beal, Blea, Ebla, Elba, albe, bael, bale, beal, blea

able m (plural ables)

1. A vernacular name of the common bleak (usually called ablette).
2. A vernacular name of the moderlieschen, also called able de Heckel.
3. (rare) A vernacular name of some other related fishes in the genus Alburnus (Cyprinidae).

• “able” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

• Abel, Bâle, béal, bêla

• abile
• abille
• habile

Latin habilis.

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.blə/

able m (oblique and nominative feminine singular able)

1. able; capable

• → English: able
• French: habile (from habile)

• IPA^(key): /ebl/
• (South Scots) IPA^(key): /jɪbl/

able (comparative mair able, superlative maist able)

1. able, substantial, physically fit, strong, shrewd, cute
2. (obsolete) well-to-do, rich