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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.
- Preface

1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [ability]

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ability

ABIL'ITY, n. [L. habilitas, ableness, fitness, from habeo, to have or hold.]

1. Physical power, whether bodily or mental; natural or acquired; force of understanding; skill in arts or science. Ability is active power, or power to perform; as opposed to capacity, or power to receive. In the plural, abilities is much used in a like sense; and also for faculties of the mind, and acquired qualifications.

2. Riches, wealth, substance, which are the means, or which furnish the power, of doing certain acts.

They gave after their ability to the work. Ez. 2.

3. Moral power, depending on the will - a metaphysical and theological sense.

4. Civil or legal power, the power or right to do certain things, as an ability to transfer property or dispose of effects - ability to inherit. It is opposed to disability.


Evolution (or devolution) of this word [ability]

1828 Webster1844 Webster1913 Webster

ABIL'ITY, n. [L. habilitas, ableness, fitness, from habeo, to have or hold.]

1. Physical power, whether bodily or mental; natural or acquired; force of understanding; skill in arts or science. Ability is active power, or power to perform; as opposed to capacity, or power to receive. In the plural, abilities is much used in a like sense; and also for faculties of the mind, and acquired qualifications.

2. Riches, wealth, substance, which are the means, or which furnish the power, of doing certain acts.

They gave after their ability to the work. Ez. 2.

3. Moral power, depending on the will - a metaphysical and theological sense.

4. Civil or legal power, the power or right to do certain things, as an ability to transfer property or dispose of effects - ability to inherit. It is opposed to disability.

A-BIL'I-TY, n. [Fr. habileté; It. abilità; Sp. habilidad; L. habilitas, ableness, fitness, from habeo, to have or hold.]

  1. Physical power, whether bodily or mental; natural or acquired; force of understanding; skill in arts or science. Ability is active power, or power to perform; as opposed to capacity, or power to receive. In the plural, abilities is much used in a like sense; and also for faculties of the mind, and acquired qualifications. – Franklin.
  2. Riches, wealth, substance, which are the means, or which furnish the power, of doing certain acts. They gave according to their ability to the work. – Ezra ii.
  3. Moral power, depending on the will – a metaphysical and theological sense.
  4. Civil or legal power; the power or right to do certain things; as, an ability to transfer property or dispose of effects – ability to inherit. It is opposed to disability. – Cyc.

A*bil"i*ty
  1. The quality or state of being able; power to perform, whether physical, moral, intellectual, conventional, or legal; capacity; skill or competence in doing; sufficiency of strength, skill, resources, etc.; -- in the plural, faculty, talent.

    Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren.
    Acts xi. 29.

    Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study.
    Bacon.

    The public men of England, with much of a peculiar kind of ability.
    Macaulay.

    Syn. -- Capacity; talent; cleverness; faculty; capability; efficiency; aptitude; aptness; address; dexterity; skill. Ability, Capacity. These words come into comparison when applied to the higher intellectual powers. Ability has reference to the active exercise of our faculties. It implies not only native vigor of mind, but that ease and promptitude of execution which arise from mental training. Thus, we speak of the ability with which a book is written, an argument maintained, a negotiation carried on, etc. It always something to be done, and the power of doing it. Capacity has reference to the receptive powers. In its higher exercises it supposes great quickness of apprehension and breadth of intellect, with an uncommon aptitude for acquiring and retaining knowledge. Hence it carries with it the idea of resources and undeveloped power. Thus we speak of the extraordinary capacity of such men as Lord Bacon, Blaise Pascal, and Edmund Burke. "Capacity," says H. Taylor, "is requisite to devise, and ability to execute, a great enterprise." The word abilities, in the plural, embraces both these qualities, and denotes high mental endowments.

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Ability

ABIL'ITY, noun [Latin habilitas, ableness, fitness, from habeo, to have or hold.]

1. Physical power, whether bodily or mental; natural or acquired; force of understanding; skill in arts or science. ability is active power, or power to perform; as opposed to capacity, or power to receive. In the plural, abilities is much used in a like sense; and also for faculties of the mind, and acquired qualifications.

2. Riches, wealth, substance, which are the means, or which furnish the power, of doing certain acts.

They gave after their ability to the work. Ezra 2:69.

3. Moral power, depending on the will - a metaphysical and theological sense.

4. Civil or legal power, the power or right to do certain things, as an ability to transfer property or dispose of effects - ability to inherit. It is opposed to disability.

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Word of the Day

importance

IMPORT'ANCE, n.

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance.

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

Random Word

supererogation

SUPEREROGA'TION, n. [supra.] Performance of more than duty requires.

There is no such thing as works of supererogation.

Noah's 1828 Dictionary

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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary

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