can't

See also: cant, cânt, çant, ca'n't, Cant., and Cant

English edit

Alternative forms edit

ca'n't (obsolete)

Etymology edit

can +‎ -n't, since 1706^[1] or earlier.^[2]

Pronunciation edit

This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.
Particularly: "Indian English"

(Received Pronunciation, some US speakers) enPR: känt, IPA^(key): /kɑːnt/, [kʰɑ̃ːnt]
- Audio (UK) (file)
- Rhymes: -ɑːnt
(General American, Canada, some Irish speakers) enPR: kănt, IPA^(key): /kænt/, [kʰæn(ʔ)]
- (æ-tensing) IPA^(key): [kʰẽə̃nʔ ~ kʰɪ̃ə̃nʔ]
- Audio (US) (file)
- Rhymes: -ænt
  - (Southern American English) IPA^(key): [kʰẽɪ̃nt], [kʰẽɪ̃n(ʔ)]
    - Audio (Southern US) (file)
    - Rhymes: -eɪnt
(General Australian, New Zealand) enPR: känt, IPA^(key): /kaːnt/, [kʰä̃ːnt], [kʰä̃ːnʔ]
- Audio (AU) (file)
(Indian English) IPA^(key): /kaːɳʈ/
Homophones: cant, Kant (in some dialects)

Verb edit

can't

Cannot (negative auxiliary^[3]); is unable to; does not have the ability to.
Antonyms: be able to, can

I can’t quite get it to work.
- 2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Tuchanka:
  Shepard: Mordin, walk away.
  Mordin: Can't do that, Shepard.
  Shepard: I don't have a choice here. Walk away, or I will fire.
Is forbidden to; is not permitted to.
Antonyms: be able to, can, have to, must

You can’t enter the hall without a ticket.
Often followed by be: is logically impossible.
Antonyms: be able to, can, have to, must

The butler can’t be the murderer because he was in London that evening.
- 1750, W[illiam] Ellis, The Country Housewife's Family Companion: Or Profitable Directions for Whatever Relates to the Management and Good Œconomy of the Domestick Concerns of a Country Life, According to the Present Practice of the Country Gentleman's, the Yeoman's, the Farmer's, &c. Wives, in the Counties of Hertford, Bucks, and Other Parts of England: Shewing how Great Savings may be Made in Housekeeping: [...] With Variety of Curious Matters [...] The Whole Founded on Near Thirty Years Experience, London: Printed for James Hodges, at the Looking-glass, facing St. Magnus Church, London-Bridge; and B. Collins, bookseller, at Salisbury, →OCLC, page 157:
  To make Capons […] [S]ome for this Purpoſe make it their Buſineſs after Harveſt-time to go to Markets for buying up Chickens, and between Michaelmas and All-hollantide caponize the Cocks, when they have got large enough to have Stones [i.e., testes] of ſuch a Bigneſs that they may be pulled out; for if they are too little, it can't be done; […]

Usage notes edit

Although may and can are synonyms, can’t and mayn’t (including their uncontracted forms) are not, except when used interrogatively. “You can’t have a console” means you must not have a console, but “you mayn’t have a console” means you are not guaranteed to have a console, with the implication that you still may if you do.
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.

Coordinate terms edit

couldn't, mayn't, mightn't, oughtn't, shan't, shouldn't, won't, wouldn't

Derived terms edit

you can't say fairer than that

Translations edit

cannot — see cannot

For other translations, see can and not.

References edit

^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “can't”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
^ “can't”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
^ Arnold M. Zwicky and Geoffrey K. Pullum, Cliticization vs. Inflection: English n’t, Language 59 (3), 1983, pp. 502-513

Anagrams edit

NCTA, T-Can

[1] Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “can't”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

[2] “can't”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

[3] Arnold M. Zwicky and Geoffrey K. Pullum, Cliticization vs. Inflection: English n’t, Language 59 (3), 1983, pp. 502-513

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