Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

3 ADJ Someone who is able is very clever or very good at doing something. □  …one of the brightest and ablest members of the government. SYNONYMS able ADJ 3

capable:She's a very capable speaker.

experienced:It's a team packed with experienced and mature professionals.

skilled:New industries demanded skilled labour not available locally.

competent:He was a loyal, distinguished and very competent civil servant.

SUFFIX -able

forms adjectives that indicate what someone or something can have done to them. For example, if something is movable , it is possible to move it.

able-bodied /e I b ^ə l bɒ did/ ADJ An able-bodied person is physically strong and healthy, rather than being weak or having a disability. □  She was able-bodied and reasonably intelligent.

ab|lu|tions /əbluː ʃ ^ə nz/ N‑PLURAL [oft poss N ] Someone's ablutions are all the activities that are involved in washing himself or herself. [FORMAL or HUMOROUS ]

ably /e I bli/ ADV [ADV with v] Ably means skilfully and successfully. □  He was ably assisted by a number of other members.

ab|nor|mal /æbnɔː ^r m ^ə l/ ADJ Someone or something that is abnormal is unusual, especially in a way that is worrying. [FORMAL ] □  …abnormal heart rhythms and high anxiety levels. □  …a child with an abnormal fear of strangers. ●  ab|nor|mal|ly ADV [usu ADV adj/adv, oft ADV with v] □  …abnormally high levels of glucose.

ab|nor|mal|ity /æ bnɔː ^r mæ l I ti/ (abnormalities ) N‑VAR An abnormality in something, especially in a person's body or behaviour, is an unusual part or feature of it that may be worrying or dangerous. [FORMAL ] □  Further scans are required to confirm the diagnosis of an abnormality.

aboard /əbɔː ^r d/ PREP If you are aboard a ship or plane, you are on it or in it. □  She invited 750 people aboard the luxury yacht, the Savarona. □  They said goodbye to him as he got aboard the train at Union Station. ● ADV [ADV after v] Aboard is also an adverb. □  It had taken two hours to load all the people aboard.

abode /əboʊ d/ (abodes )

1 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Your abode is the place where you live. [FORMAL ] □  I went round the streets and found his new abode.

2 PHRASE If someone has no fixed abode , they are homeless. [LEGAL ] □  30 per cent of psychiatric hospital beds are occupied by people of no fixed abode.

abol|ish /əbɒ l I ʃ/ (abolishes , abolishing , abolished ) VERB If someone in authority abolishes a system or practice, they formally put an end to it. □ [V n] The following year Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty for murder.

abo|li|tion /æ bəl I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] The abolition of something such as a system or practice is its formal ending. □ [+ of ] …the abolition of slavery in Brazil and the Caribbean.

abo|li|tion|ist /æ bəl I ʃ ^ə n I st/ (abolitionists ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] An abolitionist is someone who campaigns for the abolition of a particular system or practice. □  There is no need to abandon the abolitionist principles as such.

A-bomb /e I bɒm/ (A-bombs ) N‑COUNT An A-bomb is an atomic bomb.

abomi|nable /əbɒ m I nəb ^ə l/ ADJ Something that is abominable is very unpleasant or bad. □  The President described the killings as an abominable crime. ●  abomi|nably /əbɒ m I nəbli/ ADV [ADV after v, ADV -ed/adj] □  Chloe has behaved abominably. □  Wallis was often abominably rude.