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more about can
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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found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Can \Can\, v. t. & i. Note: [The transitive use is obsolete.]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
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