Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
can

more about can

can


  10  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Can  \Can\,  v.  t.  &  i. 
 
  Note:  [The  transitive  use  is  obsolete.]  [imp.  {Could}.]  [OE. 
  cunnen,  cannen  (1st  sing.  pres.  I  can),  to  know  know 
  how  be  able,  AS  cunnan,  1st  sing.  pres.  ic  cann  or 
  can,  pl  cunnon,  1st  sing.  imp.  c[=u][eth]e  (for 
  cun[eth]e);  p.  p.  c[=u][eth]  (for  cun[eth]);  akin  to 
  OS  Kunnan,  D.  Kunnen  OHG.  chunnan  G.  k["o]nnen, 
  Icel.  kunna,  Goth.  Kunnan,  and  E.  ken  to  know  The 
  present  tense  I  can  (AS.  ic  cann)  was  originally  a 
  preterit,  meaning  I  have  known  or  Learned,  and  hence  I 
  know  know  how  [root]45.  See  {Ken},  {Know};  cf  {Con}, 
  {Cunning},  {Uncouth}.] 
  1.  To  know  to  understand.  [Obs.] 
 
  I  can  rimes  of  Rodin  Hood.  --Piers 
  Plowman. 
 
  I  can  no  Latin,  quod  she  --Piers 
  Plowman. 
 
  Let  the  priest  in  surplice  white,  That  defunctive 
  music  can.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  be  able  to  do  to  have  power  or  influence.  [Obs.] 
 
  The  will  of  Him  who  all  things  can.  --Milton. 
 
  For  what  alas,  can  these  my  single  arms?  --Shak. 
 
  M[ae]c[ae]nas  and  Agrippa,  who  can  most  with 
  C[ae]sar.  --Beau.  &  Fl 
 
  3.  To  be  able;  --  followed  by  an  infinitive  without  to  as  I 
  can  go  but  do  not  wish  to 
 
  Syn:  {Can  but},  {Can  not  but}.  It  is  an  error  to  use  the 
  former  of  these  phrases  where  the  sens  requires  the 
  latter.  If  we  say  ``I  can  but  perish  if  I  go,''  ``But'' 
  means  only,  and  denotes  that  this  is  all  or  the  worst 
  that  can  happen.  When  the  apostle  Peter  said  ``We  can 
  not  but  speak  of  the  things  which  we  have  seen  and 
  heard.''  he  referred  to  a  moral  constraint  or  necessety 
  which  rested  upon  him  and  his  associates;  and  the 
  meaning  was  We  cannot  help  speaking,  We  cannot  refrain 
  from  speaking.  This  idea  of  a  moral  necessity  or 
  constraint  is  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  is  also 
  expressed  in  the  phrase,  ``I  can  not  help  it.''  Thus  we 
  say  ``I  can  not  but  hope,''  ``I  can  not  but  believe,'' 
  ``I  can  not  but  think,''  ``I  can  not  but  remark,''  etc., 
  in  cases  in  which  it  would  be  an  error  to  use  the  phrase 
  can  but 
 
  Yet  he  could  not  but  acknowledge  to  himself  that 
  there  was  something  calculated  to  impress  awe,  .  . 
  .  in  the  sudden  appearances  and  vanishings  .  .  . 
  of  the  masque  --De  Quincey. 
 
  Tom  felt  that  this  was  a  rebuff  for  him  and  could 
  not  but  understand  it  as  a  left-handed  hit  at  his 
  employer.  --Dickens. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Can  \Can\, 
  an  obs.  form  of  began,  imp.  &  p.  p.  of  {Begin},  sometimes 
  used  in  old  poetry. 
 
  Note:  [See  {Gan}.] 
 
  With  gentle  words  he  can  faile  gree.  --Spenser. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Can  \Can\,  n.  [OE.  &  AS  canne;  akin  to  D.  Kan,  G.  Kanne,  OHG. 
  channa,  Sw  Kanna,  Dan.  kande.] 
  1.  A  drinking  cup;  a  vessel  for  holding  liquids.  --[Shak.  ] 
 
  Fill  the  cup  and  fill  can,  Have  a  rouse  before  the 
  morn.  --Tennyson. 
 
  2.  A  vessel  or  case  of  tinned  iron  or  of  sheet  metal,  of 
  various  forms,  but  usually  cylindrical;  as  a  can  of 
  tomatoes;  an  oil  can;  a  milk  can. 
 
  Note:  A  can  may  be  a  cylinder  open  at  the  top  as  for 
  receiving  the  sliver  from  a  carding  machine,  or  with  a 
  removable  cover  or  stopper,  as  for  holding  tea,  spices, 
  milk,  oysters,  etc.,  or  with  handle  and  spout,  as  for 
  holding  oil,  or  hermetically  sealed,  in  canning  meats, 
  fruits,  etc  The  name  is  also  sometimes  given  to  the 
  small  glass  or  earthenware  jar  used  in  canning. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Can  \Can\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Canned};  p.  pr  &vb.  n. 
  {Canning}.] 
  To  preserve  by  putting  in  sealed  cans  [U.  S.]  ``Canned 
  meats''  --W.  D.  Howells. 
 
  {Canned  goods},  a  general  name  for  fruit,  vegetables,  meat, 
  or  fish,  preserved  in  hermetically  sealed  cans. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  can 
  n  1:  airtight  sealed  metal  container  for  food  or  drink  or  paint 
  etc  [syn:  {tin},  {tin  can}] 
  2:  the  quantity  contained  in  a  can  [syn:  {canful}] 
  3:  a  buoy  with  a  round  bottom  and  conical  top  [syn:  {can  buoy}] 
  4:  the  fleshy  part  of  the  human  body  that  you  sit  on  [syn:  {buttocks}, 
  {arse},  {butt},  {backside},  {bum},  {buns},  {fundament},  {hindquarters}, 
  {hind  end},  {keister},  {posterior},  {prat},  {rear},  {rear 
  end},  {rump},  {stern},  {seat},  {tail},  {tail  end},  {tooshie}, 
  {tush},  {bottom},  {behind},  {derriere},  {fanny},  {ass}] 
  5:  a  plumbing  fixture  for  defecation  and  urination  [syn:  {toilet}, 
  {commode},  {crapper},  {pot},  {potty},  {stool},  {throne}] 
  6:  a  room  equipped  with  washing  and  toilet  facilities  [syn:  {toilet}, 
  {lavatory},  {lav},  {facility},  {john},  {privy},  {bathroom}] 
  v  1:  be  able  to  have  the  ability  to 
  2:  preserve  in  a  can  or  tin;  of  foods  [syn:  {tin},  {put  up}] 
  3:  terminate  the  employment  of  "The  boss  fired  his  secretary 
  today"  [syn:  {fire},  {give  notice},  {dismiss},  {give  the 
  axe},  {send  away},  {sack},  {force  out},  {terminate}]  [ant: 
  {hire}] 
  4:  get  to  or  be  allowed  to  do  something  "May  I  go  to  the 
  movies  tonight?"  "Can  I  have  some  ice  cream?"  "We  got  to 
  play  video  games  all  day  long"  [syn:  {may},  {get}]  [ant:  {must 
  not}] 
  5:  expresses  permission;  "You  may  leave  now";  "Can  I  have 
  another  piece  of  cake?"  [syn:  {may},  {might}] 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  can  vt  To  abort  a  job  on  a  time-sharing  system.  Used  esp. 
  when  the  person  doing  the  deed  is  an  operator,  as  in  "canned  from 
  the  {{console}}".  Frequently  used  in  an  imperative  sense  as  in  "Can 
  that  print  job,  the  LPT  just  popped  a  sprocket!"  Synonymous  with  {gun}. 
  It  is  said  that  the  ASCII  character  with  mnemonic  CAN  (0011000)  was  used 
  as  a  kill-job  character  on  some  early  OSes,  but  is  is  more  likely  to  be 
  short  for  `cancel'.  Alternatively,  this  term  may  derive  from  mainstream 
  slang  `canned'  for  being  laid  off  or  fired. 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  can 
 
  To  abort  a  job  on  a  {time-sharing}  system.  Used  especially 
  when  the  person  doing  the  deed  is  an  operator,  as  in  "canned 
  from  the  {console}".  Frequently  used  in  an  imperative  sense 
  as  in  "Can  that  print  job,  the  LPT  just  popped  a  sprocket!" 
  Synonymous  with  {gun}.  It  is  said  that  the  ASCII  character 
  with  {mnemonic}  CAN  (0011000)  was  used  as  a  kill-job  character 
  on  some  early  OSes.  Alternatively,  this  term  may  derive  from 
  mainstream  slang  canned"  for  being  laid  off  or  fired. 
 
  [{Jargon  File}] 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  CAN 
 
  {Cancel} 
 
 
 
  From  V.E.R.A.  --  Virtual  Entity  of  Relevant  Acronyms  13  March  2001  [vera]: 
 
  CAN 
  Complete  Area  Networks  (SNI) 
 
 
 
  From  V.E.R.A.  --  Virtual  Entity  of  Relevant  Acronyms  13  March  2001  [vera]: 
 
  CAN 
  Controller  Area  Network 
 
 




more about can