able

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. adj. Having sufficient power or resources to accomplish something: a singer able to reach high notes; a detergent able to remove stains.
2. adj. Usage Problem Susceptible to action or treatment: The brakes were able to be fixed.
3. adj. Especially capable or talented.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. Having power or means sufficient; qualified; competent: as, a man able to perform military service; a child is not able to reason on abstract subjects.
2. Legally entitled or authorized; having the requisite legal qualification: as, an illegitimate son is not able to take by inheritance.
3. In an absolute sense: Vigorous; active.
4. Having strong or unusual powers of mind, or intellectual qualifications: as, an able minister.
5. To enable.
6. To warrant or answer for.
7. n. Same as ablet.
8. n. A common termination of English adjectives, especially of those based on verbs. To the base to which it is attached it generally adds the notion of capable of, worthy of, and sometimes full of, causing: as, obtainable, capable of being obtained; tolerable, capable of being borne; laudable, worthy of praise; credible, that may be believed, or worthy of belief; forcible, full of force; horrible, terrible, full of or causing horror, terror. Many of these adjectives, such as tolerable, credible, legible, have been borrowed directly from the Latin or the French, and are in a somewhat different position from those formed by adding the termination to an already existing English word, as in the case of obtainable. Adjectives of this kind, with a passive signification, are the most numerous, and the base may be Anglo-Saxon or Latin; eatable, bearable, readable, believable, etc., are of the former kind. Of those in -able with an active signification we may mention delectable, suitable, capable. Of a neuter signification are durable, equable, conformable. All these are from verbal bases, but there are others derived from nouns, such as actionable, objectionable, peaceable, salable, serviceable. As to when -able and when -ible is to be used, Mr. Fitzedward Hall remarks: “Generally, the termination is -ible, if the base is the essentially uncorrupted stem of a Latin infinitive or supine of any conjugation but the first. … To the rule given above, however, there are many exceptions. … To all verbs, then, from the Anglo-Saxon, to all based on the uncorrupted infinitival stems of Latin verbs of the first conjugation, and to all substantives, whencesoever sprung, we annex -able only.” See his work “On English Adjectives in -Able, with Special Reference to Reliable,” pp. 45–47.

Wiktionary

1. n. A word that is used in place of the letter "A" during communication.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. adj. obsolete Fit; adapted; suitable.
2. adj. Having sufficient power, strength, force, skill, means, or resources of any kind to accomplish the object; possessed of qualifications rendering competent for some end; competent; qualified; capable.
3. adj. Specially: Having intellectual qualifications, or strong mental powers; showing ability or skill; talented; clever; powerful.
4. adj. (Law) Legally qualified; possessed of legal competence.
5. v. To make able; to enable; to strengthen.
6. v. To vouch for.

WordNet 3.0

1. adj. have the skills and qualifications to do things well
2. adj. having inherent physical or mental ability or capacity
3. adj. (usually followed by `to') having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
4. adj. having a strong healthy body