A many man, to ben an abbot able. --Chaucer.
2. 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; as, an able workman,
soldier, seaman, a man able to work; a mind able to
reason; a person able to be generous; able to endure pain;
able to play on a piano.
3. Specially: Having intellectual qualifications, or strong
mental powers; showing ability or skill; talented; clever;
powerful; as, the ablest man in the senate; an able
speech.
No man wrote abler state papers. --Macaulay.
4. (Law) Legally qualified; possessed of legal competence;
as, able to inherit or devise property.
Note:
{Able for}, is Scotticism. ``Hardly able for such a march.''
--Robertson.
Syn: Competent; qualified; fitted; efficient; effective;
capable; skillful; clever; vigorous; powerful.
2. To vouch for. ``I 'll able them.'' --Shak.
Note: The form {-ible} is used in the same sense.
Note: It is difficult to say when we are not to use -able
instead of -ible. ``Yet a rule may be laid down as to
when we are to use it. 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.'' --Fitzed. Hall.