ability
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ability
a general word for power, native or acquired, enabling one to do things well: an ability for math
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
a·bil·i·ty
(ə-bĭl′ĭ-tē)n. pl. a·bil·i·ties
1.
a. The quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, financial, or legal power to accomplish something.
b. A skill, talent, or capacity: a student of many abilities.
2. The quality of being suitable for or receptive to a specified treatment: the ability of a computer to be configured for use as a file server. See Usage Note at able.
[Middle English abilite, from Old French habilite, from Latin habilitās, from habilis, handy; see able.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ability
(əˈbɪlɪtɪ)n, pl -ties
1. possession of the qualities required to do something; necessary skill, competence, or power: the ability to cope with a problem.
2. considerable proficiency; natural capability: a man of ability.
3. (plural) special talents
[C14: from Old French from Latin habilitās aptitude, handiness, from habilis able]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
a•bil•i•ty
(əˈbɪl ɪ ti)n., pl. -ties.
1. power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, or financially.
2. competence based on natural skill, training, or other qualification.
3. abilities, talents; special skills or aptitudes.
[1350–1400; Middle English (h)abilite < Middle French < Latin habilitās aptitude =habili(s) handy (see able) + -tās -ty2]
syn: ability, faculty, talent denote power or capacity to do something. ability is the general word for a natural or acquired capacity to do things; it usu. implies doing them well: a leader of great ability; ability in mathematics. faculty denotes a natural or acquired ability for a particular kind of action: a faculty for putting people at ease. talent usu. denotes an exceptional natural ability or aptitude in a particular field: a talent for music.
-ability
[Middle English -abilite « Latin -ābilitās]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Ability
See Also: ACCOMPLISHMENT
- Able to absorb punishment as open buds absorb the dew —Grantland Rice
- The abilities of man must fall short on one side or other, like too scanty a blanket —Sir William Temple
- The ability to make a great individual fortune … is a sort of sublimated instinct in a way like the instinct of a rat-terrier for smelling out hidden rats —Irvin S. Cobb
- Being creative without talent is a bit like being a perfectionist and not being able to do anything right —Jane Agner
- Chose [people] with swift skill, like fruit tested for ripeness with a pinch —Paul Theroux
- (My wife … ) cooks like Escoffier on wheels —Moss Hart
- Cuts like a saw through soft pine through the chatter of freeloaders, time-wasting delegations —Stephen Longstreet
In Longstreet’s novel, Ambassador, from which this is extracted, the efficiency tactics are diplomatic.
- Efficient as a good deer rifle —Bruce DeSilva
- Functioned as smoothly as a hospital kitchen —Laurie Colwin
- Resourceful and energetic as a street dog —James Mills
- Having communists draft the law for the most capitalist society on earth is like having a blind man guide you through the Louvre museum —Mark Faber, Wall Street Journal, June 19, 1986
Faber’s simile pertained to the basic law that will govern Hong Kong in future.
- His [Brendan Sullivan’s] management (of Oliver North) is like one of those pictures that museum directors settle for labeling “Workshop of Veronese” because the hand of the master is not there for certain but his touch and teaching inarguably are —Murray Kempton, New York Post, December 12, 1986
Kempton’s simile describes the legal abilities of a member in the Edward Bennett Williams law firm, representing Colonel North during the Iran weapons scandal.
- I can walk like an ox, run like a fox, swim like an eel … make love like a mad bull —David Crockett, speech to Congress
- Instinct as sure as sight —Edgar Lee Masters
- Native ability without education is like a tree without fruit —Aristippus
- Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study —Francis Bacon
- Played bridge like an inspired card sharp —Marjory Stoneman Douglas
- To see him [Chief Justice Hughes] preside was like witnessing Toscanini lead an orchestra —Justice Felix Frankfurter
- Skilled … like a mischievous and thieving animal —Émile Zola
- Skillful as jugglers —Daphne du Maurier
- Talent is like a faucet. While it is open, one must write (paint, etc.) —Jean Anouilh, New York Times, October 2, 1960
- Talent, like beauty, to be pardoned, must be obscure and unostentatious —Marguerite, Countess Blessington
- You must work at the talent as a sculptor works at stone, chiselling, plotting, rounding, edging and making perfect —Dylan Thomas
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Ability
all is fish that comes to his net A proverbial phrase describing the luck of one for whom nothing ever goes awry because of a seemingly innate ability to turn everything to profit. Most fishermen expect to discover undesirable animals or debris in their nets, but the fortuitous fisherman’s net overflows with valuable fish only. The expression is used of one with an extraordinary capacity to develop invariably successful schemes and make consistently lucrative financial investments.
green thumb An above-average ability to grow plants; the knack of successfully cultivating and propagating plants. This phrase and its variant green fingers date from the early 1900s. A “green thumb” is like a magic touch which encourages rapid growth. Although the phrase is usually heard in the context of gardening, it can apply to any innate ability to make things grow and prosper.
“Success with money is often accidental,” she sighed. “One needs ‘green fingers’ to make it grow.” (Daily Telegraph, April 26, 1969)
keep one’s hand in To keep in practice, to dabble in, to maintain one’s proficiency in a certain activity. The expression usually implies sporadic or intermittent interest and activity.
know one’s beans See KNOWLEDGE.
the Midas touch An uncanny ability to make money; entrepreneurial expertise. Midas, legendary king of Phrygia, was divinely granted the power to transform anything he touched to gold. The gods relieved Midas of his power when the king realized that everything he touched, including food and his daughter, changed to gold. Still in general use, this expression often describes the moneymaking abilities of an entrepreneur.
Picasso, with his Midas touch, has at first try made the lino-cut a more dignified medium. (Times, July, 1960)
play a straight bat To know what you are doing, to know your business. This Briticism comes from the game of cricket.
to the manner born See STATUS.
Picturesque Expressions: A Thematic Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1980 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ability
– capability – capacityDo not confuse ability with capability and capacity.
1. 'ability'
You often use ability to say that someone can do something well.
He had remarkable ability as a musician.
...the ability to bear hardship.
2. 'capability'
A person's capability is the amount of work they can do and how well they can do it.
...a job that was beyond the capability of one man.
...the director's ideas of the capability of the actor.
3. 'capacity'
If someone has a particular capacity, a capacity for something, or a capacity to do something, they have the qualities required to do it. Capacity is a more formal word than ability.
...their capacity for hard work.
...his capacity to see the other person's point of view.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  ability - the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishmentadaptability - the ability to change (or be changed) to fit changed circumstances quality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare sensitiveness, sensitivity - the ability to respond to affective changes in your interpersonal environment competence, competency - the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually form - an ability to perform well; "he was at the top of his form"; "the team was off form last night" interoperability - (computer science) the ability to exchange and use information (usually in a large heterogeneous network made up of several local area networks) magical ability, magical power - an ability to perform magic Midas touch - an ability to make and manage large amounts of money penetration - the ability to make way into or through something; "the greater penetration of the new projectiles will result in greater injuries" physical ability - the ability to perform some physical act; contrasting with mental ability contractility - the capability or quality of shrinking or contracting, especially by muscle fibers and even some other forms of living matter capability, capableness - the quality of being capable -- physically or intellectually or legally; "he worked to the limits of his capability" totipotence, totipotency - the ability of a cell to give rise to unlike cells and so to develop a new organism or part; "animal cells lose their totipotency at an early stage in embryonic development" immunocompetence - the ability to develop an immune response following exposure to an antigen |
| 2. |  ability - possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done; "danger heightened his powers of discrimination"know-how - the (technical) knowledge and skill required to do something leadership - the ability to lead; "he believed that leadership can be taught" intelligence - the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience aptitude - inherent ability bilingualism - the ability to speak two languages colloquially mental ability, capacity - the power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior originality - the ability to think and act independently science, skill - ability to produce solutions in some problem domain; "the skill of a well-trained boxer"; "the sweet science of pugilism" acquirement, skill, accomplishment, attainment, acquisition - an ability that has been acquired by training hand - ability; "he wanted to try his hand at singing" superior skill - more than ordinary ability inability - lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
ability
noun
1. capability, power, potential, facility, capacity, qualification, competence, proficiency, competency, potentiality No one had faith in his ability to do the job.
capability inability, incompetence, incapacity, powerlessness, incapability
capability inability, incompetence, incapacity, powerlessness, incapability
2. skill, talent, know-how (informal), gift, expertise, faculty, flair, competence, energy, accomplishment, knack, aptitude, proficiency, dexterity, cleverness, potentiality, adroitness, adeptness Her drama teacher spotted her ability.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
ability
noun1. Physical, mental, financial, or legal power to perform:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
قُدْرَةمَقْدِرَةمَهَارَة، مَعْرِفَة
schopnostzručnost
evnefærdighed
kyky
sposobnost
geta, hæfnikunnátta, færni
能力
능력
gabumassugebėjimas
kompetenceprasmespēja
zmožnostsposobnost
förmåga
ความสามารถ
khả năng
ability
[əˈbɪlɪtɪ] NCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
ability
[əˈbɪlɪti] n (= capability) → capacité f, aptitude f
abilities (= competence) → compétences fpl
one's ability to do sth → sa capacité de faire qch, son aptitude à faire qch
to have the ability to do sth → être capable de faire qch
to have the ability to see → être capable de voir
to the best of my ability, to the best of my abilities → de mon mieux
abilities (= competence) → compétences fpl
one's ability to do sth → sa capacité de faire qch, son aptitude à faire qch
to have the ability to do sth → être capable de faire qch
to have the ability to see → être capable de voir
to the best of my ability, to the best of my abilities → de mon mieux
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
ability
n → Fähigkeit f; ability to pay/hear → Zahlungs-/Hörfähigkeit f; to the best of my ability → nach (besten) Kräften; (with mental activities) → so gut ich es kann; a man of great ability → ein sehr fähiger Mann; his ability in German → seine Fähigkeiten im Deutschen; she has great ability → sie ist ausgesprochen fähig
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
ability
[əˈbɪlɪtɪ] n → capacità f inv, abilità f inv abilities npl → capacità fpl, doti fplto the best of my ability → con il massimo impegno
a person of great abilities → una persona molto dotata
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
ability
(əˈbiləti) – plural aˈbilities – noun1. the power, knowledge etc to do something. I shall do the job to the best of my ability.
2. a skill. a man of many abilities.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
ability
→ قُدْرَة schopnost evne Fähigkeit ικανότητα aptitud kyky capacité sposobnost abilità 能力 능력 vermogen evne zdolność capacidade, habilidade способность förmåga ความสามารถ yetenek khả năng 能力Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
a·bil·i·ty
n. habilidad, aptitud; talento, capacidad.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
ability
n (pl -ties) capacidad f, habilidad f; — to drive capacidad para manejarEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.