abil|ity ◆◆◇ /əb I l I ti/ (abilities )
1 N‑SING [N to-inf, oft with poss] Your ability to do something is the fact that you can do it. □ The public never had faith in his ability to handle the job. □ He has the ability to bring out the best in others.
2 N‑VAR [oft with poss] Your ability is the quality or skill that you have which makes it possible for you to do something. □ Her drama teacher spotted her ability. □ They repeatedly questioned his leadership abilities. □ Does the school cater for all abilities?
3 PHRASE If you do something to the best of your abilities or to the best of your ability , you do it as well as you can. □ I take care of them to the best of my abilities.
SUFFIX -ability
replaces -able at the end of adjectives to form nouns that refer to a particular state or quality. For example, reliability is the state or quality of being reliable.
ab|ject /æ bdʒekt/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use abject to emphasize that a situation or quality is extremely bad. [EMPHASIS ] □ Both of them died in abject poverty. □ This scheme was an abject failure. ● ab|ject|ly ADV □ Both have failed abjectly.
ab|jure /æbdʒʊə r / (abjures , abjuring , abjured ) VERB If you abjure something such as a belief or way of life, you state publicly that you will give it up or that you reject it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …a formal statement abjuring military action.
ablaze /əble I z/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Something that is ablaze is burning very fiercely. □ Shops, houses, and vehicles were set ablaze.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If a place is ablaze with lights or colours, it is very bright because of them. □ [+ with ] The chamber was ablaze with light.
able ◆◆◆ /e I b ə l/ (abler /e I blə r /, ablest /e I bl I st/)
1 PHRASE If you are able to do something, you have skills or qualities which make it possible for you to do it. □ The older child should be able to prepare a simple meal. □ The company say they're able to keep pricing competitive. □ They seemed able to work together very efficiently.
2 PHRASE If you are able to do something, you have enough freedom, power, time, or money to do it. □ You'll be able to read in peace. □ It would be nice to be able to afford to retire earlier.
3 ADJ Someone who is able is very clever or very good at doing something. □ …one of the brightest and ablest members of the government. SYNONYMS able ADJ 3
capable: She's a very capable speaker.
experienced: It's a team packed with experienced and mature professionals.
skilled: New industries demanded skilled labour not available locally.
competent: He was a loyal, distinguished and very competent civil servant.
SUFFIX -able
forms adjectives that indicate what someone or something can have done to them. For example, if something is movable , it is possible to move it.
able-bodied /e I b ə l bɒ did/ ADJ An able-bodied person is physically strong and healthy, rather than being weak or having a disability. □ She was able-bodied and reasonably intelligent.
ab|lu|tions /əbluː ʃ ə nz/ N‑PLURAL [oft poss N ] Someone's ablutions are all the activities that are involved in washing himself or herself. [FORMAL or HUMOROUS ]
ably /e I bli/ ADV [ADV with v] Ably means skilfully and successfully. □ He was ably assisted by a number of other members.
ab|nor|mal /æbnɔː r m ə l/ ADJ Someone or something that is abnormal is unusual, especially in a way that is worrying. [FORMAL ] □ …abnormal heart rhythms and high anxiety levels. □ …a child with an abnormal fear of strangers. ● ab|nor|mal|ly ADV [usu ADV adj/adv, oft ADV with v] □ …abnormally high levels of glucose.
ab|nor|mal|ity /æ bnɔː r mæ l I ti/ (abnormalities ) N‑VAR An abnormality in something, especially in a person's body or behaviour, is an unusual part or feature of it that may be worrying or dangerous. [FORMAL ] □ Further scans are required to confirm the diagnosis of an abnormality.
aboard /əbɔː r d/ PREP If you are aboard a ship or plane, you are on it or in it. □ She invited 750 people aboard the luxury yacht, the Savarona. □ They said goodbye to him as he got aboard the train at Union Station. ● ADV [ADV after v] Aboard is also an adverb. □ It had taken two hours to load all the people aboard.
abode /əboʊ d/ (abodes )
1 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Your abode is the place where you live. [FORMAL ] □ I went round the streets and found his new abode.
2 PHRASE If someone has no fixed abode , they are homeless. [LEGAL ] □ 30 per cent of psychiatric hospital beds are occupied by people of no fixed abode.
abol|ish /əbɒ l I ʃ/ (abolishes , abolishing , abolished ) VERB If someone in authority abolishes a system or practice, they formally put an end to it. □ [V n] The following year Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty for murder.
abo|li|tion /æ bəl I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] The abolition of something such as a system or practice is its formal ending. □ [+ of ] …the abolition of slavery in Brazil and the Caribbean.
abo|li|tion|ist /æ bəl I ʃ ə n I st/ (abolitionists ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] An abolitionist is someone who campaigns for the abolition of a particular system or practice. □ There is no need to abandon the abolitionist principles as such.