ableness

ableness

English

Etymology

From Middle English abilnes; equivalent to able +‎ -ness.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.bl̩.nəs/

• Audio (Berkshire, UK)

  (file)

Noun

ableness (usually uncountable, plural ablenesses)

1. (uncountable, now rare) Ability of body or mind. [First attested from around 1350 to 1470.][1]

   Synonyms: force, power, vigour

   • 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg: Eucharius Cervicornus and J. Soter?], OCLC 79441532, II. Corinthians iij:[5], folio lxxviij, verso, column 2:

     […] not that we are ſufficient of oure ſelues to thynke eny thinge, as of oure ſelues, but oure ableneſſe commeth of God, […]

   • 1612, Samuel Danyel [i.e., Daniel], “The Raigne of King Stephen”, in The First Part of the Historie of England, London: […] Nicholas Okes, […], OCLC 222288853, page 225:

     […] in ſtead of a brother ſhe [Empress Matilda] had a ſonne grew vp to be of more eſtimatiõ with the Nobilitie, and ſhortly after of ablenes to vndergo the trauailes of warre.

   • 1906, Ambrose Bierce, “income”, in The Cynic's Word Book, London: Arthur F. Bird, OCLC 651748708, page 183:

     […] the true use and function of property […] as also of honors, titles, preferments, and place, and all favor and acquaintance of persons of quality or ableness, are but to get money.

   • 1997, Don DeLillo, Underworld, New York: Scribner, Part 5, Chapter 3, p. 549,

     She knew how to do things and make things and even her good looks were competent, a straightforward sort of ableness, open and clear-eyed, with a smatter of fading freckles and a dirty-minded smile.

2. (countable, rare) Something one is able to do.

   Synonyms: ability, capacity, competency

   • 1991, Keith Dowding, Rational Choice and Political Power, Aldershot, Hants: E. Elgar, Chapter 4, p. 52,

     For [Peter] Morriss abilities are the capacities we have which we may use under particular conditions (power in a generic sense). Ablenesses are the abilities when those particular conditions obtain (power in a particular sense).

References

1. Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief; William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “ableness”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 5.

Anagrams

• beanless, blaeness, sensable