Able, adj. 1) having the power or means; followed by an inf. expressed or understood: Gent. II, 3, 58. Wiv. I, 1, 54. IV, 5, 111. V, 5, 142. V, 5, 142 Err. I, 2, 5. Mids. IV, 1, 218. IV, 2, 8. Merch. I, 2, 88. IV, 1, 208. As II, 4, 77. Shr. V, 1, 78. Alls II, 1, 76. II, 3, 49. Wint. II, 3, 117. V, 2, 27. R2 III, 2, 52. H4A I, 2, 102. H4B I, 2, 9. I, 3, 54. H5 III, 7, 85. H6A III, 1, 12. IV, 1, 159. V, 5, 15. V, 5, 15 H6B I, 3, 220. II, 1, 145 II, 3, 78. IV, 2, 50. IV, 2, 50 IV, 7, 47. V, 1, 101. H6C III, 3, 154. IV, 8, 36. H8 I, 1, 161. I, 2, 31. IV, 1, 62. V, 4, 66. Troil. III, 2, 92. Cor. I, 6, 79. V, 4, 20. Tit. II, 1, 33. Rom. I, 1, 33. V, 3, 223. Tim. III, 2, 54. Per. IV, 6, 3. Comp. “--r,” Caes. IV, 3, 31. Irreg. expr.: “what by sea and land I can be a. to front this present time,” Ant. I, 4, 78.
2) absol. a) vigorous, active: “of as a. body as when he numbered thirty,” Alls IV, 5, 86. “his a. horse,” H4B I, 1, 43. “a weak mind and an a. body,” II, 4, 274. “would it not grieve an a. man to leave so sweet a bedfellow?” H8 II, 2, 142. “a. horses,” Tim. II, 1, 10. “provided I be so a. as now,” Hml. V, 2, 211.
b) skilful, clever: “every hymn that a. spirit affords,” Sonn. 85, 7.
c) competent, sufficient, equal: “as your worth is a.” Meas. I, 1, 9. “be a. for thine enemy rather in power than use,” Alls I, 1, 74. “a. means,” H8 IV, 2, 153.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
This text was converted to electronic form by professional data entry and has been proofread to a high level of accuracy.
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