A"ble (?), a. [Comp.Abler (?); superl. Ablest (?).] [OF. habile, L. habilis that may be easily held or managed, apt, skillful, fr. habere to have, hold. Cf. Habile and see Habit.]

1. Fit; adapted; suitable. [Obs.]

A many man, to ben an abbot able. Chaucer.

2. Having sufficient power, strength, force, skill, means, or resources of any kind to accomplish the object; possessed of qualifications rendering competent for some end; competent; qualified; capable; as, an able workman, soldier, seaman, a man able to work; a mind able to reason; a person able to be generous; able to endure pain; able to play on a piano.

3. Specially: Having intellectual qualifications, or strong mental powers; showing ability or skill; talented; clever; powerful; as, the ablest man in the senate; an able speech.

No man wrote abler state papers. Macaulay.

4. (Law) Legally qualified; possessed of legal competence; as, able to inherit or devise property.

Able for, is Scotticism. "Hardly able for such a march."Robertson.

Syn. -- Competent; qualified; fitted; efficient; effective; capable; skillful; clever; vigorous; powerful.

A"ble , v. t. [See Able, a.] [Obs.]

1. To make able; to enable; to strengthen. Chaucer.

2. To vouch for. "I \ll able them." Shak.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913