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can

See also: Appendix:Variations of "can"

Contents

EnglishEdit

 
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Etymology 1Edit

From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence know). Compare Dutch kunnen, Low German könen, German können, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål kunne, Swedish and Norwegian Nynorsk kunna. More at canny, cunning.

PronunciationEdit

VerbEdit

can (third-person singular simple present can, present participle -, simple past could, past participle (obsolete except in adjective use) couth)

  1. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to.
    She can speak English, French, and German.   I can play football.   Can you remember your fifth birthday?
    • Reginald Pecock (15th c.)
      Clerks which can write books.
    • 2013 July-August, Lee S. Langston, “The Adaptable Gas Turbine”, in American Scientist:
      Turbines have been around for a long time—windmills and water wheels are early examples. The name comes from the Latin turbo, meaning vortex, and thus the defining property of a turbine is that a fluid or gas turns the blades of a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that can perform useful work.
  2. (modal auxiliary verb, defective, informal) May; to be permitted or enabled to.
    You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework.   Can I use your pen?
  3. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To be possible, usually with be.
    Can it be Friday already?
    • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
      The most rapid and most seductive transition in all human nature is that which attends the palliation of a ravenous appetite. […] Can those harmless but refined fellow-diners be the selfish cads whose gluttony and personal appearance so raised your contemptuous wrath on your arrival?
  4. (obsolete, transitive) To know.
Usage notesEdit
  • For missing forms, substitute inflected forms of be able to, as:
    • I might be able to go.
    • I was able to go yesterday.
    • I have been able to go, since I was seven.
    • I had been able to go before.
    • I will be able to go tomorrow.
  • The word could also suffices in many tenses. “I would be able to go” is equivalent to “I could go”, and “I was unable to go” can be rendered “I could not go”. (Unless there is a clear indication otherwise, “could verb” means “would be able to verb”, but “could not verb” means “was/were unable to verb”.)
  • The present tense negative can not is often contracted to cannot or can’t.
  • The use of can in asking permission sometimes is criticized as being impolite or incorrect by those who favour the more formal alternative “may I...?”.
  • Can is sometimes used rhetorically to issue a command, placing the command in the form of a request. For instance, “Can you hand me that pen?” as a polite substitution for “Hand me that pen.”
  • Some US dialects that glottalize the final /t/ in can’t (/kæn(ʔ)/), in order to differentiate can’t from can, pronounce can as /kɛn/ even when stressed.
SynonymsEdit
AntonymsEdit
See alsoEdit
TranslationsEdit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

Etymology 2Edit

From Middle English canne, from Old English canne (“glass, container, cup, can”), from Proto-Germanic *kannǭ (“can, tankard, mug, cup”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gan-, *gandʰ- (“a vessel”). Cognate with Scots can (“can”), West Frisian kanne (“a jug, pitcher”), Dutch kan (“pot, mug”), German Kanne (“can, tankard, mug”), Danish kande (“can, mug, a measure”), Swedish kanna (“can, tankard, mug”), Icelandic kanna (“a can”).

PronunciationEdit

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NounEdit

 
a can (3)

can (plural cans)

  1. A more or less cylindrical vessel for liquids, usually of steel or aluminium.
  2. A container used to carry and dispense water for plants (a watering can).
  3. A tin-plate canister, often cylindrical, for preserved foods such as fruit, meat, or fish.
  4. (archaic) A chamber pot, now (US, slang) a toilet.
    Shit or get off the can.
  5. (US, slang) A place with a toilet: a lavatory.
    Bob's in the can. You can wait a few minutes or just leave it with me.
  6. (US, slang) Buttocks.
  7. (slang) Jail or prison.
    Bob's in the can. He won't be back for a few years.
  8. (slang) Headphones.
  9. (obsolete) A drinking cup.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
    • Tennyson
      Fill the cup and fill the can, / Have a rouse before the morn.
  10. (nautical) A cube-shaped buoy or marker used to denote a port-side lateral mark
SynonymsEdit
HyponymsEdit
Hyponyms of can (Etymology 2)
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
Related terms of can (Etymology 2)
TranslationsEdit
chamber pot — see chamber pot
non-offensive slang for toilet — See also translations at toilet
lavatory — see lavatory
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

VerbEdit

can (third-person singular simple present cans, present participle canning, simple past and past participle canned)

  1. To preserve, by heating and sealing in a can or jar.
    They spent August canning fruit and vegetables.
  2. to discard, scrap or terminate (an idea, project, etc.).
    He canned the whole project because he thought it would fail.
  3. To shut up.
    Can your gob.
  4. (US, euphemistic) To fire or dismiss an employee.
    The boss canned him for speaking out.
TranslationsEdit

StatisticsEdit

Most common English words before 1923 in Project Gutenberg: then · A · should · #81: can · made · did · such

AnagramsEdit

AfarEdit

NounEdit

can

  1. milk

AsturianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin canis, canem.

NounEdit

can m (plural canes)

  1. dog (animal)

SynonymsEdit

AzeriEdit

Other scripts
Cyrillic ҹан
Roman can
Perso-Arabic جان‏

EtymologyEdit

From Persian جان‏ (jân).

NounEdit

can (definite accusative canı, plural canlar)

  1. soul, spirit
  2. being, creature, life
  3. body
  4. force, vigour

DeclensionEdit

Declension of can
singular plural
nominative can canlar
definite accusative canı canları
dative cana canlara
locative canda canlarda
ablative candan canlardan
definite genitive canın canların
Possessive forms of can
nominative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canım canlarım
sənin (“your”) canın canların
onun (“his/her/its”) canı canları
bizim (“our”) canımız canlarımız
sizin (“your”) canınız canlarınız
onların (“their”) canı canları
accusative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canımı canlarımı
sənin (“your”) canını canlarını
onun (“his/her/its”) canını canlarını
bizim (“our”) canımızı canlarımızı
sizin (“your”) canınızı canlarınızı
onların (“their”) canını canlarını
dative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canıma canlarıma
sənin (“your”) canına canlarına
onun (“his/her/its”) canına canlarına
bizim (“our”) canımıza canlarımıza
sizin (“your”) canınıza canlarınıza
onların (“their”) canına canlarına
locative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canımda canlarımda
sənin (“your”) canında canlarında
onun (“his/her/its”) canında canlarında
bizim (“our”) canımızda canlarımızda
sizin (“your”) canınızda canlarınızda
onların (“their”) canında canlarında
ablative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canımdan canlarımdan
sənin (“your”) canından canlarından
onun (“his/her/its”) canından canlarından
bizim (“our”) canımızdan canlarımızdan
sizin (“your”) canınızdan canlarınızdan
onların (“their”) canından canlarından
genitive
singular plural
mənim (“my”) canımın canlarımın
sənin (“your”) canının canlarının
onun (“his/her/its”) canının canlarının
bizim (“our”) canımızın canlarımızın
sizin (“your”) canınızın canlarınızın
onların (“their”) canının canlarının

CatalanEdit

PronunciationEdit

ContractionEdit

can

  1. Contraction of casa en; house of, chez
    Synonyms: cal

Further readingEdit

Classical NahuatlEdit

Alternative formsEdit

PronunciationEdit

AdverbEdit

cān

  1. where

Derived termsEdit

Related termsEdit

GalicianEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Old Portuguese can, from Latin canis, canem.

NounEdit

can m (plural cans)

  1. dog

Related termsEdit

Etymology 2Edit

NounEdit

can m (plural cans)

  1. trigger

InterlinguaEdit

NounEdit

can (plural canes)

  1. dog
  2. cock, hammer (of a firearm)

IrishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Irish canaid, from Proto-Celtic *kaneti (“to sing”), from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂n-. Compare Welsh canu, Latin canō, Ancient Greek καναχέω (kanakhéō), Persian خواندن‏ (xândan).

PronunciationEdit

VerbEdit

can (present analytic canann, future analytic canfaidh, verbal noun canadh, past participle canta)

  1. to sing

ConjugationEdit

First Conjugation (A)
singular plural relative autonomous
first second third first second third
indicative present canaim canann tú;
canair†		 canann sé, sí canaimid canann sibh canann siad;
canaid†		 a chanann; a chanas /
a gcanann*; a gcanas*		 cantar
past chan mé; chanas chan tú; chanais chan sé, sí chanamar; chan muid chan sibh; chanabhair chan siad; chanadar a chan /
ar chan*		 canadh
past habitual chanainn chantá chanadh sé, sí chanaimis; chanadh muid chanadh sibh chanaidís; chanadh siad a chanadh /
ar chanadh*		 chantaí
future canfaidh mé;
canfad		 canfaidh tú;
canfair†		 canfaidh sé, sí canfaimid;
canfaidh muid		 canfaidh sibh canfaidh siad;
canfaid†		 a chanfaidh; a chanfas /
a gcanfaidh*; a gcanfas*		 canfar
conditional chanfainn chanfá chanfadh sé, sí chanfaimis; chanfadh muid chanfadh sibh chanfaidís; chanfadh siad a chanfadh /
ar chanfadh*		 chanfaí
subjunctive present go gcana mé;
go gcanad†		 go gcana tú;
go gcanair†		 go gcana sé, sí go gcanaimid;
go gcana muid		 go gcana sibh go gcana siad;
go gcanaid†		 — go gcantar
past dá gcanainn dá gcantá dá gcanadh sé, sí dá gcanaimis;
dá gcanadh muid		 dá gcanadh sibh dá gcanaidís;
dá gcanadh siad		 — dá gcantaí
imperative canaim can canadh sé, sí canaimis canaigí;
canaidh†		 canaidís — cantar
verbal noun canadh
past participle canta

* Indirect relative
† Archaic or dialect form

MutationEdit

Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
can chan gcan
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

IstriotEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin canis.

NounEdit

can m

  1. dog

ItalianEdit

NounEdit

can m (plural cani)

  1. (poetic and literary form of cane) dog

NounEdit

can m (invariable)

  1. khan

KurdishEdit

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

can ?

  1. soul

LigurianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin canis, canem.

NounEdit

can m (plural chen)

  1. dog

LojbanEdit

RafsiEdit

can

  1. rafsi of canre.

MandarinEdit

RomanizationEdit

can

  1. Nonstandard spelling of cān.
  2. Nonstandard spelling of cán.
  3. Nonstandard spelling of cǎn.
  4. Nonstandard spelling of càn.

Usage notesEdit

  • English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

Middle DutchEdit

OccitanEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Provençal [Term?], from Latin canis, canem.

NounEdit

can m (plural cans)

  1. dog, hound

Old PortugueseEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin canis (“dog”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ (“dog”).

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

can m

  1. dog

DescendantsEdit

Old ProvençalEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin quandō.

ConjunctionEdit

can

  1. when

AdverbEdit

can

  1. (interrogative) when

DescendantsEdit

ScotsEdit

EtymologyEdit

  This entry lacks etymological information. If you are familiar with the origin of this term, please add it to the page per etymology instructions. You can also discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.

VerbEdit

can

  1. can
  2. be able to
    He shuid can dae that. ― He should be able to do that.

Scottish GaelicEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Irish canaid (“to sing”), from Proto-Celtic *kaneti (“to sing”), from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂n-. Compare Welsh canu, Latin canō, Ancient Greek καναχέω (kanakhéō), Persian خواندن‏ (xândan).

VerbEdit

can (past chan, future canaidh, verbal noun cantainn, past participle cante)

  1. to say

ReferencesEdit

SpanishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin canis, canem (compare Aromanian cãne, Catalan ca, French chien, Italian cane, Portuguese cão), from Proto-Italic *kō (accusative *kwanem), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ (accusative *ḱwónm̥).

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

can m (plural canes)

  1. dog, hound

SynonymsEdit

HypernymsEdit

HyponymsEdit

Related termsEdit

TurkishEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowing from Persian جان‏ (jân, “soul, vital spirit, life”). Cognate with English quick.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

can (definite accusative canı, plural canlar)

  1. soul, life, being
  2. sweetheart

DeclensionEdit

declension of can
singular (tekil) plural (çoğul)
nominative (yalın) can canlar
definite accusative (belirtme) canı canları
dative (yönelme) cana canlara
locative (bulunma) canda canlarda
ablative (ayrılma) candan canlardan
genitive (tamlayan) canın canların
possessive forms of can
benim (my) singular (tekil) plural (çoğul)
nominative (yalın) canım canlarım
definite accusative (belirtme) canımı canlarımı
dative (yönelme) canıma canlarıma
locative (bulunma) canımda canlarımda
ablative (çıkma) canımdan canlarımdan
genitive (tamlayan) canımın canlarımın
senin (your) singular (tekil) plural (çoğul)
nominative (yalın) canın canların
definite accusative (belirtme) canını canlarını
dative (yönelme) canına canlarına
locative (bulunma) canında canlarında
ablative (çıkma) canından canlarından
genitive (tamlayan) canının canlarının
onun (her/his/its) singular (tekil) plural (çoğul)
nominative (yalın) canı canları
definite accusative (belirtme) canını canlarını
dative (yönelme) canına canlarına
locative (bulunma) canında canlarında
ablative (çıkma) canından canlarından
genitive (tamlayan) canının canlarının
bizim (our) singular (tekil) plural (çoğul)
nominative (yalın) canımız canlarımız
definite accusative (belirtme) canımızı canlarımızı
dative (yönelme) canımıza canlarımıza
locative (bulunma) canımızda canlarımızda
ablative (çıkma) canımızdan canlarımızdan
genitive (tamlayan) canımızın canlarımızın
sizin (your) singular (tekil) plural (çoğul)
nominative (yalın) canınız canlarınız
definite accusative (belirtme) canınızı canlarınızı
dative (yönelme) canınıza canlarınıza
locative (bulunma) canınızda canlarınızda
ablative (çıkma) canınızdan canlarınızdan
genitive (tamlayan) canınızın canlarınızın
onların (their) singular (tekil) plural (çoğul)
nominative (yalın) canları canları
definite accusative (belirtme) canlarını canlarını
dative (yönelme) canlarına canlarına
locative (bulunma) canlarında canlarında
ablative (çıkma) canlarından canlarından
genitive (tamlayan) canlarının canlarının

See alsoEdit

VenetianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin canis, canem.

 
Venetian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia vec

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

can m (plural cani)

  1. dog

VietnameseEdit

EtymologyEdit

From French calque

PronunciationEdit

VerbEdit

can

  1. to trace (through translucent paper), to do tracing

Derived termsEdit

VolapükEdit

NounEdit

can (plural cans)

  1. sales commodity, merchandise, wares

DeclensionEdit

declension of can
singular plural
nominative can cans
genitive cana canas
dative cane canes
accusative cani canis
predicative canu canus
vocative o can! o cans!

WelshEdit

EtymologyEdit

  This entry lacks etymological information. If you are familiar with the origin of this term, please add it to the page per etymology instructions. You can also discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

can

  1. bleached, white
  2. hundred

NounEdit

can m (plural caniau)

  1. a can
  2. flour

See alsoEdit

MutationEdit

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
can gan nghan chan
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

ReferencesEdit

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