wikipedia|dab=ability
see|-ability
English
Etymology
From OF. ableté (French habileté, earlier spelling habilité with silent h), from L. habilitas aptitude, ability, from habilis apparently. See able.
Pronunciation
audio|en-us-ability.ogg|Audio (US)
Noun
en-noun|abilit|ies
- The quality or state of being able; power to perform, whether physical, moral, intellectual, conventional, or legal; capacity; skill or competence in doing; sufficiency of strength, skill, resources, etc.; -- in the plural, faculty, talent.
#:Quotations
#:*Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren - Acts 11:29
#:*Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study - Bacon
#:*The public men of England, with much of a peculiar kind of ability - Macaulay
- Considerable proficiency; natural capability.
Synonyms
Capacity; talent; cleverness; faculty; capability; efficiency; aptitude; aptness; address; dexterity; skill. Ability, Capacity. These words come into comparison when applied to the higher intellectual powers.
Usage notes
Ability has reference to the active exercise of our faculties. It implies not only native vigor of mind, but that ease and promptitude of execution which arise from mental training. Thus, we speak of the ability with which a book is written, an argument maintained, a negotiation carried on, etc. It always something to be done, and the power of doing it.
Capacity has reference to the receptive powers. In its higher exercises it supposes great quickness of apprehension and breadth of intellect, with an uncommon aptitude for acquiring and retaining knowledge. Hence it carries with it the idea of resources and undeveloped power. Thus we speak of the extraordinary capacity of such men as Lord Bacon, Blaise Pascal, and Edmund Burke. "Capacity," says H. Taylor, "is requisite to devise, and ability to execute, a great enterprise." The word abilities, in the plural, embraces both these qualities, and denotes high mental endowments
Translations
trans-top|the quality or state of being able
Arabic: ARchar|ا��درة
Basque: gaitasun, trebetasun, abilezia
Bosnian: sposobnost f
Croatian: sposobnost f
Dutch: vaardigheid, vermogen
Finnish: kyky
French: abilité f, pouvoir m
German: Fähigkeit f
Hebrew: he-link|����ת|yakhólet f
Hindi: य���यता (yogyat�) f, य���यत�व (yogyatva) m
Irish: ábaltacht f3, cumas m1
Italian: abilità f
Japanese: �� (shuwan); �� (n�ryoku); �� (jitsuryoku)
trans-mid
Kurdish:
:Sorani: t|ku|د��ر�����ت|trdaraqat|scKUchar, t|ku|���د��س �ات�|trladas hAtin|scKUchar
Lithuanian: geb�jimas m
Macedonian: �по�обно�� (sposobnost)
Norwegian: evne m1
Portuguese: habilidade
Russian: возможно���, �по�обно���
Serbian:
:Cyrillic: �по�обно�� f
:Roman: sposobnost f
Slovenian: zmožnost f
Spanish: habilidad f
Swedish: förmåga c
Telugu: ద��షత (dakshata), సత�తా (sattaa)
Urdu: URchar|��گ�تا (yogyat�) f, URchar|��گ�ت� (yogyatva) m
Welsh: gallu
trans-bottom
trans-top|natural capability
Japanese: �� (sain�)
trans-mid
Kurdish:
:Sorani: t|ku|ت�ا�ا|trtwAnA|scKUchar
trans-bottom
Translations to be checked
checktrans
ttbc|Vietnamese: n�ng lực, khả n�ng, tà i n�ng, tà i cán, thẩm quy�n, khả n�ng thanh toán �ược, v�n sẵn có, ngu�n v�n
Shorthand
Gregg (Version: Centennial, Series 90, DJS,Simplified): a - b - disjoined l
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