ability

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, financial, or legal power to accomplish something.
2. n. A natural or acquired skill or talent.
3. n. The quality of being suitable for or receptive to a specified treatment; capacity: the ability of a computer to be configured for use as a file server. See Usage Note at able.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The state or condition of being able; power or capacity to do or act in any relation; competence in any occupation or field of action, from the possession of capacity, skill, means, or other qualification.
2. n. plural In a concrete sense, talents; mental gifts or endowments.
3. n. The condition of being able to pay or to meet pecuniary obligations; possession of means: called distinctively financial or pecuniary ability.
4. n. That which is within one's power to do; best endeavor.
5. n. Synonyms Ability, Capacity, power, strength, skill, dexterity; faculty, capability, qualification, efficiency. Ability denotes active power or power to perform, and is used with regard to power of any kind. Capacity conveys the idea of receptiveness, of the possession of resources; it is potential rather than actual, and may be no more than undeveloped ability. Ability is manifested in action, while capacity does not imply action, as when we speak of a capacity for virtue. Capacity is the gift of nature; ability is partly the result of education or opportunity.
6. n. Abilities, Talents, Parts, etc. (see genius), gifts, faculty, aptitude, accomplishments.
7. n. See -able, -bility, -ibility.

Wiktionary

1. n. The quality or state of being able.
2. n. A skill or competence.
3. n. A high level of skill or competence.
4. n. Suitability or receptiveness to be acted upon.
5. n. The quality or state of being able.
6. n. A skill or competence.
7. n. A high level of skill or competence.
8. n. Suitability or receptiveness to be acted upon.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. 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.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done
2. n. the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment