capable (1 and 2 now obs.; 3 archaic, the most freq. in S.; 4 and 5 (obs. legal) recorded first from S.)
1.
able to take in much, comprehensive
Oth. III. iii. 460
“a capable and wide
revenge.”
2.
sensible, impressible
AYL. III. v. 23
“The . . . capable
impressure Thy palm some moments
keeps,”
Ham. III. iv. 126
“Would make them”
[i.e. “stones] ”
3.
“capable of,” apt to be
affected by or receive the impression of, open or
susceptible to
Tp. I. ii. 353
“Being capable of all
ill,”
All'sW. I. i. 107, 227, Wint. IV. iii. [iv.] 793
“capable of things
serious,”
John III. i. 12
“capable of
fears,”
2H4 I. i. 172,
H8 V. iii. 11
“capable Of our
flesh”
(= susceptible of being influenced by our
fleshly nature), Ham. III. ii.
13.
4.
having intelligence
or ability, gifted
R3 III. i. 155
“ingenious, forward,
capable,”
Troil. III. iii. 313
“his horse . . . the
more capable creature.”
5.
“capable of,” qualified
to hold or possess Lr. II. i.
87.
