| 释义 |
abilityn. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French abilitie; Latin habilitāt-, habilitās. Etymology: < Anglo-Norman abilitie, ableté, Anglo-Norman and Middle French abileté, abilité, habileté, habilité (French habileté and habilité : see note) adroitness (c1260 in Old French), power or authority to do a thing of legal validity (early 14th cent. or earlier in Anglo-Norman, apparently originally in specific sense ‘ability to inherit’), suitableness, aptitude for a purpose (late 14th cent.), capability (of a person) to do something (a1377 or earlier in Anglo-Norman) and its etymon classical Latin habilitāt-, habilitās aptitude, in post-classical Latin also usefulness (early 3rd cent. in Tertullian), strength (5th cent.), suitability, eligibility (from 13th cent. in British sources), (in legal use) viability (late 13th or early 14th cent. in a British source) < habilis able adj. + -tās (see -ty suffix1; compare -ity suffix). Compare Catalan habilitat (1532), Spanish habilidad (c1400; late 14th cent. as †habilitat ; also †abilidad ), Portuguese habilidade (first half of the 16th cent. as †abelidade , †abilidade , etc.), Italian abilità (c1300; also †habilità , †habilitate ). Compare ableness n. and later hability n. 2, and also disability n., inability n., non-ability n., unability n.French habileté and habilité are now distinguished in form; the former (whose spelling was influenced by the adjective habile able adj.) is used in general senses such as ‘skill’, ‘ability’, ‘competence’, while the latter is restricted to the specific legal use in sense 7. The French noun came to be spelt with initial h from an early date under the influence of its Latin etymon, although the h was not pronounced. In English spellings with h likewise occur from an early date. See further discussion at H n. the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > suitability or appropriateness > [noun] a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add.) f. 282 Dromedaries..beþ so swyfte..for ablete [L. abilitates] of membres, ffor his legges beþ longe and smale and ful of senewes. c1425 J. Lydgate (Augustus A.iv) ii. 5785 (MED) He entre may þe religioun Of myȝti Bachus, for abilite. c1475 (a1400) J. Wyclif (1880) 331 (MED) If his ablete shulde be proued in werk be-fore he were acceptid. 1509 Bp. J. Fisher 290 Grete abletees of nature to noble dedes. 1570 J. Dee in H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Math. Præf. sig. aiiijv Skillfull hability, also, for any occasion, or purpose. a1620 M. Fotherby (1622) ii. i. §6. 181 The habilitie and capacitie of the matter. 1662 A. Marvell Let. 8 May in (1971) II. 250 I leaue Colonell Gilby here whose ability for businesse..is such that I can not be wanted though I am missing. 1678 A. Marvell Def. John Howe in (1875) IV. 187 A faculty conserved..includes no such hability and present promptitude in itself to action. 1749 12 Which Eldership..may fully try the Ability of such as offer themselves Candidates to the holy Ministry. 2. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add.) f. 114 Of sotilte of his substaunce & of ablete of meovinge [L. mobilitate], he haþ most actualite. c1400 ( G. Chaucer (Brussels) (1940) Introd. f. 75 Litel lowys, my sone, I perceyue wel by certeyn evidences thyn abilite to lerne sciences. a1500 tr. Thomas à Kempis (Trin. Dublin) (1893) 9 (MED) Plese not þiself of abilite or of witte, lest þou displese god. 1533 T. More ii. xvi. f. lxxxvii Yf the onely power and habylyte to fayn, were a cause suffycient. 1551 R. Robinson in tr. T. More Epist. sig. ✠iiv Though I be..of muche lesse habilitie..to do any thinge. 1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Scotl. 506/1 in I We are not of habilitie..to indure sa greit and intollerabill panis. 1605 T. Tymme tr. J. Du Chesne i. iv. 13 The which habilitie of taking forme is in the subject. a1610 J. Healey tr. Cebes' Table in tr. Epictetus (1636) 156 A better Hability to have goodnesse infused into them. 1651 J. Saint-Amard tr. F. Micanzio sig. C8v The fame of his prudence and hability of government. 1705 F. Fuller 13 The Body of Man..acquires by frequent Motion an Ability to last the longer. 1721 N. Amhurst 15 Apr. By Common Sense we usually and justly understand..the ordinary Ability to keep our selves from being imposed upon by gross Contradictions, palpable Inconsistencies, and unmask'd Imposture. 1776 A. Smith II. iv. vii. 220 The ordinary tone of expence seems every where to be regulated, not so much according to the real ability of spending, as to the supposed facility of getting money to spend. View more context for this quotation 1831 3 480 We had given sufficient evidence of our ability to grapple with the leviathan of levelism in matters ecclesiastical. 1860 J. Tyndall ii. §17. 323 The glacier of the Rhone..its ability to expand laterally is increased. 1877 24 Nov. 438/1 The catamarans seem to possess a remarkable ability of steering well under any disposition of sail. 1919 P. G. Wodehouse i. iv. 48 He did not doubt his own ability to handle this matter. 1961 7 Sept. 601/1 Many tumours do not have the ability of detoxifying drugs. 1996 T. Moore 59 Tasting is..a school for the senses, and is central in food's ability to enchant. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1622) iii. iii. 2 Be thou assur'd good Cassio, I will doe All my abilities in thy behalfe. View more context for this quotation the mind > mental capacity > [noun] > power or faculty a1439 J. Lydgate (Bodl. 263) iii. l. 1252 (MED) Catoun..Ther wittis peised and ther habilitees. c1443 R. Pecock (1927) 63 (MED) Al þing þat haþ an abilte to reule and gouerne oþere. c1485 ( G. Hay (1993) ii. 12 To exercis wapnis, and othir habiliteis of honour quhilk appertenis to nobless. 1576 A. Fleming tr. P. Manutius in 324 The bodie, and the abilities of the same, whiche are called corporall faculties. 1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay xv. 272 Euery abilitie thereof is in..the bodie, as much in one part as in another, as a whole Soule in euery parte; notwithstanding that euery seueral abilitie thereof seeme to bee seuerally in some particuler member..as the sensitiue abilitie seemeth to rest in the head, the yrefull in the heart, and the quickning in the Liuer. 1609 W. Shakespeare i. iii. 179 All our abilities, guifts, natures shapes. View more context for this quotation 1651 T. Hobbes i. viii. 32 Such abilityes of the mind, as men praise. 1652 W. Blith To Rdr. sig. c4v Their pretences of great abilities in Engineership. 1723 II. 77 All their Hability consists in crying out with a loud Voice to the Idols. 1776 E. Gibbon I. xiii. 267 His abilities were useful rather than splendid. 1792 E. Burke Heads for Consideration in (1797) 145 I..have been taught..to moderate my calculation of the expectancy of human abilities. 1815 W. H. Ireland 70 I..advise this nobleman to apply his abilities to some more sterling and lasting theme. 1861 C. Dickens II. xiii. 221 I very heartily wished, and not for the first time, that I had had some other guardian of minor abilities. 1879 (new ed.) IV. 130/1 Their natural abilities, combined with excellent taste. 1920 T. P. Nunn 111 The multi-focal view..holds that our abilities fall into a small number of groups. 1965 E. Dahlberg 42 The savant suffers because he has no oracular abilities. 1992 Jan. 105/1 Researchers refer to such an ability in animals as a ‘map sense’. the world > action or operation > ability > [noun] > strong or powerful the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > [noun] > sexual potency or vigour ?1473 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre (1894) I. lf. 104v Alleway by hys abilite he coude well save hym self. 1505 F. Marsin et al. Rep. Ferdinand of Arragon in J. Gairdner (1858) 277 To marke well his personage, his age, complexion, habilitie and lustynes. 1549 J. Olde tr. Erasmus II. 6 I being (as concerning myne owne habilitie) feble and weake. 1576 W. Lambarde 188 To lift a greate stone easily, whiche before diuers laye persons coulde not stirre, with all their strength and abilitie. 1607 E. Topsell 174 Impudently begging and complaining of bodily weaknesse where is no want of ability. 1611 C. Tourneur i. i. sig. D Poore wench. For thy sake, may his habilitie die in his appetite. 1622 G. Wither (1633) 520 I have not found ability so much To carry milstones. 1735 J. Tatham v. 59 We shall do our best To restore..th'other, though not to his full Ability, yet to a Health contentable. 1768 A. Ross 41 He stress'd himsell to cry aboon his pith, An' try his abilty both limb an' lith. 1825 L. S. Costello 112 See..the Hûr-al-oyûn, so called from their large black eyes , who may be mistaken for scattered pearls—with all the delights that Mohammed declared would require the ability of a hundred men to enjoy! society > trade and finance > money > funds or pecuniary resources > [noun] c1503 R. Arnold f. xxixv/2 Where as diuers periured fremen of smale abylite haue vsed & daily vse, to bye clothe & other marchaundises of England. 1526 Acts xi. 29 Every man accordinge to his habilite. 1574 J. Baret A. 40 To be of abilitie to liue like a gentleman..What ability or liuing is he of? or what may he dispende a yeere? a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iii. iv. 336 Out of my leane and low ability Ile lend you something: my hauing is not much. View more context for this quotation 1665 T. Manley tr. H. Grotius 817 Upon most the fine exceeded their ability. 1703 W. Burkitt Luke ii. 24 She was to bring a Lamb of a year old, for a Burnt-offering, in case she was a person of ability. 1766 O. Goldsmith I. xiv. 140 A draught upon my neighbour was to me the same as money; for I was sufficiently convinced of his ability. 1800 Proc. Parl. in 45/1 The expenses..have likewise been far beyond the ability of the ordinary resources. 1843 H. S. Thirlway (1996) xii. 98 If the master be of ability he asks his neighbours to supper. the world > action or operation > ability > [noun] > mental 1563 A. Brooke 189 A man then may conclude that not only mans abilitye is weake and vnperfect touchyng the fulfylling of ye lawe: but also yt he hath no strength or power at al to accomplishe it. 1583 R. Greene f. 20 Hee doubted of his habilitye: yet hee thought Fortune fauoured him in this poynt, that he might shew his cunning before Publia. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1622) iii. iii. 252 Tho it be fit, that Cassio haue his place, For sure he fills it vp with great ability. 1650 J. Bulwer i. 6 The brain is not so figur'd as is requisite for wit and hability. 1714 tr. 102 This is indeed doing the Preachers of Jansenism great Favour, to compare 'em for Wit and Ability to Calvin and his Disciples. 1794 R. J. Sulivan II. 154 A late ingenious writer, who has evidently studied his subject with ability and precision. 1858 H. T. Buckle (ed. 2) I. vii. 427 La Fayette was no doubt inferior to Condorcet in point of ability. 1878 M. L. Holbrook 3 The comparative ability of men is also an interesting subject. 1935 E. Glasgow (1936) ii. viii. 127 Men with ability never stayed in a village. 1996 26 July 31/2 Blair has insisted on streaming according to ability in comprehensives. society > law > legal capacity > [noun] 1579 (new ed.) f. 3v If I. S. die leauing a rightheire lyuinge, and lyuynge the Lessee for lyfe, then this is a good rem', and..cesseth to bee anye more in abeyaunce, for that there is one nowe of Abilitye to take it. 1642 tr. J. Perkins iii. §193. 86 Such persons are of ability in law, to take liverie of seisin by force of Feofments of other men of abilities in law to make Feofments. 1647 N. Bacon xxxvi. 88 The Canonists had in those daies brought into custome other ages of ability in matters concerning marriage. 1678 G. Mackenzie ii. 527 What time is considered in the hability of a Witness. 1729 G. Jacob at Presentation All Persons that have Ability to purchase or grant, have likewise Ability to present to vacant Benefices. 1765 W. Blackstone (1778) I. 218 The queen is of ability to purchase lands, and to convey them, to make leases, to grant copyholds, and do other acts of ownership, without the concurrence of her lord. 1841 Nov. 300 Such absence..renders the wife capable of contracting, and therefore of ability to sue and be sued. 1876 W. A. Berkey 386 It is not the material, nor the government stamp, which constitutes money, but the act of Congress declaring its lawful acceptance, which gives it legal ability to liquidate public and private obligations. 1918 4 229 The Married Woman's Acts..emancipate a married woman by endowing her with ability to sue and be sued, [etc.]. 2006 (Nexis) 2 Feb. 4 Justice Gomery will call for..the defined ability in law to punish those who break the rules. Compounds 1917 O. I. Woodley & M. V. Woodley xiv. 284 The arrangement of pupils in ability groups makes the question of promotion and advancement more just. 2003 29 720 Pupils were split into three ability groups, based on their pre-Reception year literacy scores. society > education > educational administration > school administration > [noun] > grouping of pupils by ability 1917 O. I. Woodley & M. V. Woodley xiv. 284 Ability grouping makes teachers more just. 2005 (Nexis) 9 Dec. (Features & Arts section) 11 Many middle-class parents support ability grouping, although often there is an underlying assumption that their child will be in the top set. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online June 2022). > see alsoalso refers to : -abilitysuffix <  n.a1398see also |
