2 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Capacity \Ca*pac"i*ty\, n.; pl {Capacities} (-t[i^]z). [L.
capacitus, fr capax, capacis fr F. capacit['e]. See
{Capacious}.]
1. The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or
space; passive power; -- used in reference to physical
things
Had our great palace the capacity To camp this host,
we all would sup together. --Shak.
The capacity of the exhausted cylinder. --Boyle.
2. The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.;
the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty;
capability of undestanding or feeling.
Capacity is now properly limited to these [the mere
passive operations of the mind]; its primary
signification, which is literally room for as well
as its employment, favars this although it can not
be dented that there are examples of its usage in an
active sense --Sir W.
Hamilton.
3. Ability; power pertaining to or resulting from the
possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of
being or of doing
The capacity of blessing the people. --Alex.
Hamilton.
A cause with such capacities endued. --Blackmore.
4. Outward condition or circumstances; occupation;
profession; character; position; as to work in the
capacity of a mason or a carpenter.
5. (Law) Legal or noral qualification, as of age, residence,
character, etc., necessary for certain purposes, as for
holding office, for marrying, for making contracts, will
etc.; legal power or right competency.
{Capacity for heat}, the power of absorbing heat. Substances
differ in the amount of heat requisite to raise them a
given number of thermometric degrees, and this difference
is the measure of or depends upon what is called their
capacity for heat. See {Specific heat}, under {Heat}.
Syn: Ability; faculty; talent; capability; skill; efficiency;
cleverness. See {Ability}.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
capacity
n 1: ability to perform or produce [ant: {incapacity}]
2: the susceptibility of something to a particular treatment;
"the capability of a metal to be fused" [syn: {capability}]
3: the amount that can be contained; "the gas tank has a
capacity of 12 gallons" [syn: {content}]
4: the maximum production possible
5: a specified function; "he was employed in the capacity of
director"; "he should be retained in his present capacity
at a higher salary"
6: (computer science) the amount of information (in bytes) that
can be stored on a disk drive; "the capacity of a hard
disk drive is usually expressed in megabytes"
7: an electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is
stored [syn: {capacitance}, {electrical capacity}]
8: the power to learn or retain knowledge [syn: {mental ability}]
[ant: {incapacity}]
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