capable Hear it!

capable definition

ca·pable (kā′pə bəl)

adjective

having ability; able to do things well; skilled; competent

Etymology: Fr < LL capabilis < L capere, to take: see have

Related Forms:

capable Idioms

capable of

  1. susceptible of; admitting of; open to
  2. having the ability or qualities necessary for
  3. able or ready to capable of telling a lie

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

capable Synonyms

capable

modif.

proficient, competent, fitted; see able 1, 2, 3, intelligent 1. See syn. study at able.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

capable Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • substantiation: Clause 7.2 Any information, claim or comparison must be capable of substantiation, which has to be proved on request.

Modifying Another Word

  • perfectly: The supporting cast are all perfectly capable in their roles too.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • build: This is because no funds had been allocated to build a system capable of reading the data.

Modifies a noun

  • hand: Leave the rest in God's very capable hands.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: I was greeted on the door by a lad who barely seemed capable of speech.
capable usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

capable quotes

It is frivolous stuff, and how rare, how precious is frivolity! How few writers can prostitute all their powers! Theyare always implying 'I am capable of higher things.'

-Forster, E(dward) M(organ)

Nobody has ever been able to define jazz satisfactorily. This is probably because anyone who was capable of doing so never really wantedto, knowing how muchyou would have to leave out of the definition.

-Kingsley, Mary Henrietta

Thankstohis bodily formand thankstohismind, [man] is a universal machine, capable of an infinite diversity of movement.

-Redtenbacher, Ferdinand

capable quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"capable." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/capable>

APA Style

capable. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/capable

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