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Definition of capable adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

capable

adjective
 
/ˈkeɪpəbl/
 
/ˈkeɪpəbl/
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  1. having the ability or qualities necessary for doing something
    • capable of something You are capable of better work than this.
    • capable of doing something He's quite capable of lying to get out of trouble.
    • I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself, thank you.
    • She is more than capable of playing at an international level.
    • He is still capable of doing the job.
    Extra Examples
    • She could hardly believe him capable of such kindness.
    • He was barely capable of writing his own name.
    • He was not physically capable of climbing out of the window.
    • She is more than capable of passing the exam.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • feel
    adverb
    • fully
    • more than
    • perfectly
    See full entry
  2. having the ability to do things well synonym skilled, competent
    • She's a very capable teacher.
    • I'll leave the organization in your capable hands.
    • a highly capable individual
    • Employees who prove themselves to be capable will usually get promoted quite rapidly.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • seem
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    See full entry
  3. opposite incapable
    Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘able to take in’, physically or mentally): from French, from late Latin capabilis, from Latin capere ‘take or hold’.
See capable in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee capable in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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