Part 16

ablative absolute, a construction in Latin, in which a noun in the ablative case has a participle (either expressed or implied), agreeing with it in gender, number, and case, both words forming a clause by themselves and being unconnected, grammatically, with the rest of the sentence; as, Tarquinio regnante, Pythagoras venit, i. e., Tarquinius reigning, Pythagoras came.

||Ab"laut (&?;), n. [Ger., off-sound; ab off + laut sound.] (Philol.) The substitution of one root vowel for another, thus indicating a corresponding modification of use or meaning; vowel permutation; as, get, gat, got; sing, song; hang, hung. Earle.

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A*blaze" (&?;), adv. & a. [Pref. a- + blaze.] 1. On fire; in a blaze, gleaming. Milman.

All ablaze with crimson and gold. Longfellow.

2. In a state of glowing excitement or ardent desire.

The young Cambridge democrats were all ablaze to assist Torrijos. Carlyle.

A"ble (&?;), a. [Comp. Abler (&?;); superl. Ablest (&?;).] [OF. habile, L. habilis that may be easily held or managed, apt, skillful, fr. habere to have, hold. Cf. Habile and see Habit.] 1. Fit; adapted; suitable. [Obs.]

A many man, to ben an abbot able. Chaucer.

2. Having sufficient power, strength, force, skill, means, or resources of any kind to accomplish the object; possessed of qualifications rendering competent for some end; competent; qualified; capable; as, an able workman, soldier, seaman, a man able to work; a mind able to reason; a person able to be generous; able to endure pain; able to play on a piano.

3. Specially: Having intellectual qualifications, or strong mental powers; showing ability or skill; talented; clever; powerful; as, the ablest man in the senate; an able speech.

No man wrote abler state papers. Macaulay.

4. (Law) Legally qualified; possessed of legal competence; as, able to inherit or devise property.

Able for, is Scotticism. "Hardly able for such a march." Robertson.

Syn. -- Competent; qualified; fitted; efficient; effective; capable; skillful; clever; vigorous; powerful.

A"ble, v. t. [See Able, a.] [Obs.] 1. To make able; to enable; to strengthen. Chaucer.

2. To vouch for. "I 'll able them." Shak.

-a*ble (-*b'l). [F. -able, L. -abilis.] An adjective suffix now usually in a passive sense; able to be; fit to be; expressing capacity or worthiness in a passive sense; as, movable, able to be moved; amendable, able to be amended; blamable, fit to be blamed; salable.

The form -ible is used in the same sense.

It is difficult to say when we are not to use -able instead of -ible. "Yet a rule may be laid down as to when we are to use it. To all verbs, then, from the Anglo-Saxon, to all based on the uncorrupted infinitival stems of Latin verbs of the first conjugation, and to all substantives, whencesoever sprung, we annex -able only." Fitzed. Hall.

A`ble-bod"ied (&?;), a. Having a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust. "Able-bodied vagrant." Froude. -- A`ble-bod"ied*ness, n..

Ab"le*gate (&?;), v. t. [L. ablegatus, p. p. of ablegare; ab + legare to send with a commission. See Legate.] To send abroad. [Obs.] Bailey.

Ab"le*gate (&?;), n. (R. C. Ch.) A representative of the pope charged with important commissions in foreign countries, one of his duties being to bring to a newly named cardinal his insignia of office.

Ab`le*ga"tion (&?;), n. [L. ablegatio.] The act of sending abroad. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

A`ble-mind"ed (#), a. Having much intellectual power. -- A`ble-mind"ed*ness, n.

A"ble*ness (&?;), n. Ability of body or mind; force; vigor. [Obs. or R.]

Ab"lep*sy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; to see.] Blindness. [R.] Urquhart.

A"bler (&?;), a., comp. of Able. -- A"blest (&?;), a., superl. of Able.