Crossword clues for abilities
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ability \A*bil"i*ty\ ([.a]*b[i^]l"[i^]*t[y^]), n.; pl. Abilities ([.a]*b[i^]l"[i^]*t[i^]z). [F. habilet['e], earlier spelling habilit['e] (with silent h), L. habilitas aptitude, ability, fr. habilis apt. See Able.] The quality or state of being able; power to perform, whether physical, moral, intellectual, conventional, or legal; capacity; skill or competence in doing; sufficiency of strength, skill, resources, etc.; -- in the plural, faculty, talent.
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability,
determined to send relief unto the brethren.
--Acts xi.
29.
Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need
pruning by study.
--Bacon.
The public men of England, with much of a peculiar kind
of ability.
--Macaulay.
Syn: Capacity; talent; cleverness; faculty; capability; efficiency; aptitude; aptness; address; dexterity; skill.
Usage: Ability, Capacity. These words come into comparison when applied to the higher intellectual powers. Ability has reference to the active exercise of our faculties. It implies not only native vigor of mind, but that ease and promptitude of execution which arise from mental training. Thus, we speak of the ability with which a book is written, an argument maintained, a negotiation carried on, etc. It always something to be done, and the power of doing it. Capacity has reference to the receptive powers. In its higher exercises it supposes great quickness of apprehension and breadth of intellect, with an uncommon aptitude for acquiring and retaining knowledge. Hence it carries with it the idea of resources and undeveloped power. Thus we speak of the extraordinary capacity of such men as Lord Bacon, Blaise Pascal, and Edmund Burke. ``Capacity,'' says H. Taylor, ``is requisite to devise, and ability to execute, a great enterprise.'' The word abilities, in the plural, embraces both these qualities, and denotes high mental endowments.
Wiktionary
n. (plural of ability English)
Usage examples of "abilities".
In any case, the Thuriens had already commenced an intensive program of research into the matter, and whatever the precise form of the final answer, there seemed every chance that the Ents would come to put their unique abilities and nature to good use, and take their place in the Omniverse, alongside Terrans, Jevlenese, and Ganymeans.
It seems that some human women possess psychic abilities, and those women can be successfully converted without fear of madness.
You already have certain abilities, and you are extraordinarily sensitive.
Christine Feehan Antonietta waited, timing the cat's leap, throwing herself to one side, using her new abilities to take her over the jaguar and land on the edge of the battlement.
I've suspected for a while that many of the human life mates who display psychic abilities may be descendents of the Jaguar race, not all of them, but at least a substantial majority.
Whatever has affected our people's reproductive abilities must be in our blood or in the soil itself.
She was no great beauty, and the esteem and affection of others was the one area where she refused to exercise her surprising abilities to charm and persuade.
You have a confidence in Imperial Security's abilities that I don't, I'm afraid.
You and Stettin have discovered that your abilities wax and wane, for unknown reasons.
There was something about his abilities that the big Dahlite was not telling her.
She felt sure he was thinking many of the same thoughts, and, for once, she believed him when he said he was trying none of his mentalic abilities on her.
She had felt Daneel's subtle persuasive abilities during her training period on Eos, nothing more.
Pandsala had no such difficulty, and it remained one of the curiosities of her Sunrunner abilities that she had no qualms about crossing water.
Not trusting his abilities at sleight-of-hand to get the herb into only one cup, he sprinkled the dranath into the bottle itself.
Too willing to believe that she would work to the best of her abilities for Pol's cause in Princemarch.