verb

can

KAN

verb

To be able to do something, or to know how to do it.

"She can speak three languages fluently."

"Can you swim?"

Used to say something is allowed or permitted.

"You can leave early if you finish your work."

To preserve food by sealing it in an airtight can or jar.

"They spent the weekend canning tomatoes from the garden."

Informally, to dismiss someone from a job, or to scrap a plan.

"The company canned the project after the budget was cut."

noun

A sealed metal container, especially for food or drink.

"He grabbed a can of soup from the cupboard."

"She recycled the empty soda can."

How to Use Can

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the helping verb for ability/permission ("I can do it") or a metal food/drink container.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the modal verb "can" (ability) with "may" (formal permission) — many teachers still insist on the distinction in careful writing.

Common pairings

can of beans canned goods can do

Word Forms

could past tense, couth past tense, canned past tense, could plural, can plural, cans plural, can plural, canned plural, can singular, could singular, canst singular, cannest singular, couldst singular, couldest singular, could'st singular, canneth singular, cans singular, can singular, canned singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She _____ speak three languages fluently.

Etymology

The verb goes back to Old English cunnan, "to know how"; it is a distant relative of "know". The container sense comes from a separate Old English word, candel-related only by coincidence.

Synonyms

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dump scrap stifle make silent let go sack

Related Words

crap take piece stay throw capture dump contain

Rhymes for can

scan pecan Incan Vulcan Duncan Tuscan Wiccan cancan Mexican African pelican Vatican

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