Can v.1. World English Historical Dictionary

Can v.1. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1893, rev. 2025. Can v.1 irreg. (Forms: see below.) [A defective verb, belonging to the small but interesting group of Teutonic preterite-present verbs (now chiefly used as auxiliaries of tense, mood or predication), in form characterized by having as their present tense an original preterite, which retains the preterite form but has come to have a present signification, and from which a new weak past tense has subsequently been developed. Cf. dare, etc. OE. cunnan, pres. Ind. can (cǫn), pa. cúðe (:—cunðe), is identical with OFris. kunna, kan, kunda (konda), OS. cunnan, can, consta, const, (Du. kunnen, kan, konde), OHG. kunnan, kan, kunda (konda), or kunsta (konsta), (Ger. können, kann, konnte), ON. kunna, kann, kunna (:—kunða), Goth. (and OTeut.) kunnan, kann, kunþa. The OTeut. sense was ‘to know, know how, be mentally or intellectually able,’ whence ‘to be able generally, be physically able, have the power, L. posse.’ Since the present was formally a preterite, its meaning ‘I know’ must have been derived from that of ‘I have learned, I have attained to knowledge’; the original present stem being *kin-n- or *ken-n-, pre-Teut. *gen-n-: cf. Lith. zinaú I know, Zend ā-zaiñ-ti knowledge, OIr. pret. adgéin he knew. Beside this Teutonic has knǣ- (ablaut form knô-), WGer. knā-, whence OE. cnáwan to KNOW, OHG. ir-chnâ-an, bi-chnâ-an, to recognize, ûr-chnâ-t recognition (answering to a Goth. *-knêps fem.). This stem is widely diffused in the Aryan langs.; cf. L., Gr. gnô- in L. gnô-sco, Gr. γι-γνώ-σκω (ἔ-γνω-ν); OSlav. zna-ti to know; OIr. gnáth known. In Skr. the pres. has stem jan-, the preterite jñā, jānālmi, jajñalu.

1   It has been further thought that the root was originally related to the Aryan gen- (with by-forms gnā-, gnō-), to bring forth, produce, Skr. ja′nāmi, pret. jajā′na, L., Gr. gen-, gi-gn- (see KIN, KING); but if so, they were already differentiated in Old Aryan, and the nature of the connection of sense has not been determined.]

2   Here, as in BE, it will be convenient to illustrate the inflexions separately from the senses.

3   A.  Inflexions.

4   1.  Pres. Indic.

5   1st and 3rd sing. can (kæn, kăn, k’n).

6   Forms: 1–4 cann, con, conn, 1– can, (4–5 conne, canne; also kan, etc.).

7 a. 1000.  Cædmon, Poems, Sat., 250. Ic can eow læran. Ibid., 629. Ic eow ne con.

8 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 35. Nis nan sunne þet he ne con.

9 a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 206. More vuel þen heo con.

10 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 309. Ic wene I can a red.

11 c. 1300.  Cursor M., 20358. O me self can [later MSS. con, canne] I na rede.

12 c. 1320.  Cast. Loue, 555. Hose þis forbysene con.

13 c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., xxxiii. I conne notte say.

14 1467.  Eng. Gilds (1870), 407. The craft that he canne.

15 1556.  J. Heywood, Spider & F., G iij. Sure I can no false knackes.

16 Mod.  What can it be?

17   2nd sing. canst (kænst).

18   Forms: 1–4 const, 1– canst, (4–5 konst, kanst, 6 canest, 6–7 cannest), northern 3– can, kan.

19 a. 1000.  Andreas, 68 (Gr.). Þu ana canst ealra ʓehygdo.

20 a. 1225.  Juliana, 66. Greiðe hwet so þu const grimliche biþenchen.

21 a. 1240.  Lofsong, in Cott. Hom., 217. To þe þet const and wult wel don.

22 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12121. I can þe ken þat þou ne can. Ibid. (a. 1400), 824 (Add. MS.). Ynow þou canst fynde.

23 c. 1500.  in Hazl., E. P. P., 36. Canst thou thy byleve?

24 1526.  Tindale, Mark i. 40. Yf thou wilt, thou cannest [1557 Genev., etc., canst] make me clene.

25 1600.  [see B. 6].

26 1610.  Shaks., Temp., III. ii. 67. Canst thou bring me to the party?

27   plural can.

28   Forms: 1–2 cunnon (cunne-), 2–5 cunnen, (4–5 kunnen), 3–5 cunne, 4–5 connen, conne, 4–5 south. kunneþ, conneþ, 3– north. con, can, (kan), 5– can.

29 Beowulf, 1162. Men ne cunnon.

30 a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Daniel, 141. Ȝe ne cunnon.

31 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 75. Alle ȝe kunnen … ower credo.

32 c. 1205.  Lay., 7301. Tweien wise men · þe wel cunnen a speche [c. 1275 conne of speche]. Ibid., 23059. Ne cunne we demen [c. 1275 ne con we telle].

33 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 9065. Quat rede can [v.r. con] we.

34 1340.  Ayenb., 249. Þo þet conneþ … onderstonde.

35 a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter ix. 11. Oþer þat kan þaim noght.

36 c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 4184. As wel as we kunne.

37 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqrs. Prol., 3. For certes ye konnen [v.r. konne, can].

38 1387.  Trevisa, Higden (1865), II. 169. Þese men … kunneþ wel inow telle.

39 c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., I. xvi. 89. Manye kunnen suche textis bi herte.

40 1550.  Latimer, Serm. Stamford, II. 104. All that can it not may learne.

41 1835.  Browning, Paracels., IV. Wks. I. 149. You can see the root of the matter.

42   Negative cannot (kæ·nǭt); famil. can’t (kānt). (Sc. canna). (The earlier mode was to prefix ne.)

43 a. 1400[?].  Cursor M. (add. to Cott.), p. 959. 105. And þou þat he deed fore cannot sorus be.

44 1451.  Paston Lett., 140, I. 186. Other tydyngs as yett can I non tell you. Ibid., 172, I. 229. Whethir it be thus or non I can not say.

45 15[?].  Plumpton Corr., 72. I canot get my money.

46 1706.  Col. Records Penn., II. 256. The House cant agree to this.

47 1741.  Richardson, Pamela, I. 46. If he has deign’d to love me, and you say can’t help it.

48 1742.  Young, Nt. Th., I. 89. An angel’s arm can’t snatch me from the grave; Legions of angels can’t confine me there.

49 1827.  Keble, Chr. Y., 4. Without Thee I cannot live.

50 Mod.  Can’t you go?

51   2.  Past Indic. 1st and 3rd sing. could (kud).

52   Forms: α. 1 cúðe, 2–3 cuþe, kuthe, 3–5 cowþe, cowthe, (4 coth), 4–5 couþe, 4–6 couthe, (5 couȝthe), 4 north. cuþ, cuth, 4–6 couth, (also in 4–5 with k-); β. 4–6 coude, k-, 5–6 coud, 7–8 often cou’d; γ. 6 coulde, 6– could, (6 coold, 6–7 cold, 6– Sc. culd).

53   The current spelling is erroneous: l began to be inserted about 1525, app. in mechanical imitation of should and would, where an etymological l had become silent, so that these words now rhymed with coud, and might better have been written shoud, woud; cf. northern wad. In the sense know, the earlier form couth was retained longer.

54   α.  c. 893.  K. Ælfred, Oros., I. ii. § 1. Ninus … se cuðe manna ærest dry-cræftas.

55 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 289. Ne kuðe he noȝt blinne.

56 a. 1274.  Prisoner’s Prayer, 1, in Philol. Trans. (1868), 104. Ar ne kuthe ich sorghe non.

57 c. 1297.  R. Glouc. 29. He was y flowe an hey, & ne cowþe not a-liȝte.

58 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 21420 (Cott.). Ful wel he cuth [later MS. cutht, couþe]. Ibid., 23945 (Edin.). I wald spek if I cuþe [C. G. cuth, F. couþe].

59 c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 813. As þe wyf couþe.

60 a. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 7444. Wha couth þan telle.

61 a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 75. He took fro them all that he couthe.

62 1519.  Mem. Ripon (1882), I. 315. In as convenient hast as I couthe.

63 1530.  Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 875. In Inglande couthe scho get none ordinance.

64 1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Jan., 10. Well couth he tune his pipe.

65 1607.  Walkington, Opt. Glass, 18. Ne any couth his wit so hiely straine.

66 1652.  C. Stapylton, Herodian, V. 37. So well his leere he Couth [rhyme South].

67   β.  c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 4378. As he coude.

68 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqrs. T., 31. A Rethor excellent That koude [v.r. coude, couþe, kouþe, couþe] hise colours.

69 a. 1400.  Octouian, 111 (W.). The emperour, couthde no man kythe His ioye.

70 c. 1420.  Chron. Vilod., 554. As he wel couȝthe and ouȝte to do.

71 1478.  John Paston, Lett., 812, III. 219. He koud get the good wyll.

72 c. 1500.  in Hazl., E. P. P., 211. Yet could he neyther pates noster nor ave.

73 c. 1532.  Ld. Berners, Huon, clxvi. 654. Al preuely as he coude.

74 1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 737.        Or, by the holy Butcher, if he fell, Th’ inspected Entrails, cou’d no Fates foretel.

75 1762.  Gentl. Mag., 137. [Will] cou’d his fears impart.

76   γ.  c. 1530.  Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 129. There was none that coude … yet Gouernar dyd as moche as he coulde.

77 1530.  Myrr. our Ladye (1873), 20. The same Alphonse … coulde nothynge of her language.

78 1575.  Laneham, Lett. (1871), 61. I coold my rulez, coold conster, and pars.

79 1584.  Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 315. [He] cold doo no good.

80 1588.  A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 114. He culd nocht be præiudiciable to ye kirk.

81 1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 6. He could not rest.

82 c. 1620.  A. Hume, Brit. Tong. (1865), 20. Of this I cold reckon armies.

83 1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 265. William declared that he could not consent to entrust Papists with any share of the government.

84 1882.  ‘Leslie Keith,’ Alasnam’s Lady, III. 201. He really couldn’t say where.

85   2nd sing. couldest, couldst (kudst).

86   Forms: 1 cúðest, 4 couthest, coudest, 6– couldest, couldst.

87 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John i. 48. Hwanon cuðest ðu me [Lindisf. wistes ðu vel cuðes ðu].

88 1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 540. Koudestow auȝte wissen vs þe weye. Ibid., VIII. 76. Þow couthest me wisse.

89 1526.  Tindale, Mark xiv. 37. Couldest not thou watche [so all exc. Rhem. couldst, Wyclif myȝtist not].

90 1667.  Milton, P. L., IV. 950. And couldst thou faithful add?… Faithful to whom?

91   plural could (kud).

92   Forms: 1 cúðon, 2–3 cuþen, 3–5 couthen, couthe, (4 coþen, 5 coothe), 4–6 couth, 4–5 koude, cowde, 5–6 coude, 6 kowd, colde, 6– could.

93 a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Daniel, 258. [Hi] dydon swa hie cuðon.

94 c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 223. Hi cuðon ȝeiðer god and yfel.

95 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12344. Wele þai couthe þaire lorde knaw. Ibid. (c. 1340), 14716. Þai cowd a-gayn him finde resoun nane.

96 c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 1033. Alle þe surgyens of salerne … ne couþen have ȝour langoures a-legget.

97 c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 789. Welle koude they the gise.

98 1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, III. iii. (1483), 51. Ye that more good coothe.

99 c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., I. vi. 28. As othere men miȝten and couthen do.

100 c. 1450.  Merlin, x. 146. Thei cowde heir tydynges.

101 1475.  Bk. Noblesse (1860), 13. They … couthe have no socoure.

102 1510.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr. (Pynson), viii. D j. They coude the langage of Ebrewe.

103 a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, vii. 16. The ii. brethern kowd not.

104 1580.  Sidney, Arcadia, 397. Well my pipe they couth.

105 1646.  E. F[isher], Mod. Divinity, 237. They could skill to say.

106 Mod.  Could you or couldn’t you?

107   3.  Pres. Subj.: sing. can (kæn). Since 16th c. levelled with the Indic.

108   Forms: 1–4 cunne, (3–4 kunne), 4–5 conne, (4 cone, konne).

109 a. 1000.  Satan, 702. Ðæt ðu cunne.

110 a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 280. Hwat turn his fere ne cunne nout.

111 c. 1250.  Hymn Virg., I. 45. Nis non maiden … þat swo derne louiȝe kunne.

112 1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 26. Thow knowest wel … And þow conne resoun.

113 1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 50. Though I ne conne but a lite.

114 c. 1450.  Merlin, ii. 40. With that thou conne me no magre.

115 1528.  Roy, Sat. All though he canne many a wyle.

116 1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. ii. 34. List if thou can heare the tread [Qq. canst] of Trauellers.

117 Mod.  He will come if he can.

118   plural can.

119   Forms: 1–3 cunnen, 2–3 cunne, 4–6 conne.

120 a. 1000.  Elene, 374. Þæt [hi] andsware secʓan cunnen.

121 1735.  Berkeley, Wks., 1871, III. 320. Confute them if you can.

122   4.  Past Subj. sing. could, 2nd sing. could(e)st. (Like the Indicative.)

123   Forms: 1 cúðe, 3–5 couthe, (4 coþe, kouȝde), 4–6 couth, 4–6 coud, coude, 5 cowde, 6– could.

124 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 438. If he cuth [v.r. coude, couth, couþe]. Ibid., 4555. Coud þu [v.r. cuth, cowde; Trin. coudestou] tell me quat it ware. Ibid., 20024. Þof … i cothe.

125 c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 382. No leyser to telle all ȝif I kouȝde.

126 c. 1440.  Gesta Rom. (1878), 361. If thou couthiste peynte.

127 1508.  Fisher, Wks. (1876), 172. So yf he coude fynde .x. good & ryghtwyse persones.

128 c. 1532.  Ld. Berners, Huon, clxvi. 654. To seke yf he coude fynde the damoysell.

129 1586.  Ferne, Lacies Nobilitie, 11. I had rather … my daughter Alice couth karoll a lay so lustilie.

130 1656.  Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit. (1851). Oh that thou couldest!

131 1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 705. Were Lovers Judges, or cou’d Hell forgive.

132 Mod.  I wish I could help you.

133   plural could.

134   Forms: 1 cúðen, 3–4 couthen, coude, 6– could.

135 a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1330. Þah we cuðen.

136 a. 1300.  Havelok, 369. Til þat he kouþen speken.

137 1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 62. Ȝif þei couþen her crede.

138 1611.  Bible, 2 Cor. xi. 1. Would to God ye could bear with mee a little in my folly.

139   5.  Infinitive can (kæn). Obs. exc. Sc. or dial.

140   Forms: 1 cunnan, 2–4 cunnen, 3–5 cunne, 4 connen, 4–5 conne, 6– can (in 9 dial.; regular in Sc.) See also CON v.

141 a. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 73. Þet heo sculen … heore bileue cunnen.

142 a. 1240.  Moral Ode, 332. He sceal him cunne sculde wel.

143 a. 1300.  Finding Cross, 216, in Leg. Rood (1871), 93. Þe laws wele better mai he cun.

144 c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 1071. He scholde konnen al þat God con.

145 c. 1340.  Cursor M., 2570. Na mare saltow ham con rede þen sternes of heyuen.

146 c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, V. 1404. Cryseyde shal not conne knowe me.

147 c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 245. To cunne no more þan is nede to cunne but to cunne to subrenesse.

148 1393.  Gower, Conf., II. 158. To conne arede.

149 c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., 55. Wold I ken, And kun him thank.

150 1484.  Caxton, Curial, 5. He shal neuer conne trotte.

151 1555.  Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 52. To wyl to doo hurte & can not.

152 1607–12.  Bacon, Gt. Place, Ess. (Arb.), 282. In evill, the best condicion is not to will, the second not to can.

153 1816.  Scott, Antiq., xxvi. ‘He’ll no can haud down his head to sneeze, for fear o’ seeing his shoon.’

154 1847.  Frances Kemble (Mrs. Butler), Rec. Later Life (1882), III. 165. Lady Macbeth, which I never could, and cannot, and never shall can act.

155 1886.  Stevenson, Kidnapped, 293. ‘Ye’ll can name your business.’

156   † 6.  Pres. pple. cunning (in OE. cunnand), now only as adj., q.v. Obs.

157   † 7.  Pa. pple. could: in OE. cúþ, ME. couth, chiefly as adj.: see COUTH. As pple. conne (= cun, on model of str. vbs.) occurs anomalously, and in mod. dialects could is commonly so used.

158 1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, I. ii. (1859), 3. Yf thou haddest ony good conne.

159 Mod. Sc.  He has not could come. If I had could find it.

160   8.  vbl. sb. CUNNING, q.v. As a gerund canning has been used for the nonce, and is in mod.Sc.

161 1563–87.  Foxe, A. & M. (1684), II. 419. In canning the text of the whole New Testament … without book.

162   B.  Signification.

163   I.  As an independent verb.

164   † 1.  trans. To know. a. To know or be acquainted with (a person). b. To know or have learned (a thing); to have practical knowledge of (a language, art, etc.). To can by heart: to know by heart. To can one’s good: to know what is good for one. Obs.

165 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxv. 12. Ne can ic eow.

166 c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 29. Cune sume meðe þenne þu almesse makest.

167 c. 1297.  R. Glouc. 443. Of Engelond ne con ych non rede.

168 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 13142. Sco sa well her mister cuth.

169 a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter Comm. 22. Þe lord þat all þing can.

170 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Miller’s T., 18. I can a noble tale for the noones.

171 1387.  Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. III. 281. I can nouȝt but þat I can nouȝt.

172 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1251. For sleght þat he couth.

173 1480.  Caxton, Descr. Brit., 35. Now they lerne no frenssh ne can none.

174 1526.  Skelton, Magnyf., 561. Can you a remedy for the tysyke?

175 1538.  Coverdale, N. T., Ded. To … instruct such as can but English.

176 1541.  Paynell, Catiline, l. 74. Metellus wold haue recited the lawe without wrytynge (for he coulde it by hart).

177 1548.  Hall, Chron. (1809), 363. An honest manne and one that could his good.

178 1563–87.  Foxe, A. & M. (1684), II. 325. Unlearned men that can no letters.

179 1591.  Harington, Orl. Fur., LXXXV. xxiii. It had bin well that he it never coud.

180 1600.  Fairfax, Tasso, X. iv. 180. The way right well he could.

181 1602.  Carew, Cornwall, 56 a. Most of the Inhabitants can no word of Cornish.

182 1632.  B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, I. i. She could the Bible in the holy tongue.

183 1649.  Lovelace, Poems (1659), 120. Yet can I Musick too; but such As is beyond all Voice or Touch.

184   c.  In phrase To can (some, no, small, good, etc.) skill of or in: to have skill in, be skilled in.

185 c. 1518.  Pace, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., III. I. 186. They couth goodde skele in byldyngs.

186 1532.  Hervet, Xenophon’s Househ. (1768), 52. A carpenter … that can good skylle therof.

187 1538.  Leland, Itin., II. 56. One Thomas Long … could skille of the Law.

188 1578.  T. Proctor, Gorg. Gallery. Talke thou of that, wherin some skill thou can.

189 1613.  Chapman, B. D’Ambois’ Rev., Plays 1873, II. 180. Since I could skill of man.

190 1644.  Bulwer, Chiron., 19. One that could well skill in Manuall Rhetorique.

191 1710.  Philips, Pastorals, iv. 23. No Skill of Musick can I, simple Swain.

192   2.  intr. To have knowledge, to know of; also to know much or little of. arch.

193 a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 560. Bute thu canst of chateringe.

194 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 740. Þat mast kan bath on crok and craft. Ibid., 7408 (Gött.). He coude of harpe mekil bi rote.

195 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 2529. A mad priste, That neuer colde of no knighthode, but in a kirke chyde.

196 c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., xvii. The king couthe of venery.

197 1602.  Rowlands, Greene’s Ghost (1860), 70. I neuer was there (that I can of).

198 1825.  Scott, Talism. (1854), 407. Thou canst well of wood-craft.

199 a. 1875.  Kingsley, Poems, Little Baltung, 82. That cunning Kaiser was a scholar wise, And could of gramarye.

200   II.  With infinitive, as auxiliary of predication.

201   (Many manuals of English Grammar have ineptly treated can so construed, as an auxiliary of the Subjunctive or ‘Potential’ mood!)

202   3.  To know how (to do anything); to have learned, to be intellectually able.

203 a. 1154.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. Suilc & mare þanne we cunnen sæin.

204 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 14692. Your aun bok yee can noght spell.

205 c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 176. Wel coude he peynte, I undirtake, That such ymage coude make.

206 1485.  Caxton, Paris & V. (1868), 64. On al the maners that ye shal conne demaunde. Ibid. (1490), How to Die, 2. To conne deye is to haue in all tymes his herte redy.

207 a. 1520.  Myrr. our Ladye, 148. Dyscrecion to canne kepe peace . on all partyes.

208 1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Jan., 10. Well couth hee tune his pipe.

209 1726.  Gay, Fables, II. vi. 48. We country-folks Cou’d ope our gracious monarch’s eyes.

210   This passes imperceptibly into the current sense:

211   4.  To be able; to have the power, ability or capacity. (Said of physical as well as mental, and of natural as well as acquired ability; = L. posse, F. pouvoir.)

212 a. 1300.  Havelok, 111. So yung þat sho ne couþe Gon on fote.

213 1375.  Barbour, Bruce, III. 431. Sum off thaim couth swome full weill.

214 1475.  Bk. Noblesse, 76. To can renne withe speer.

215 1526.  Tindale, Mark xiv. 37. Coudest not thou watche with me one hour?

216 1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 6. Thou canest not with one view peruse the wide compasse of it.

217 1611.  Bible, Ex. vii. 21. The Egyptians could not drinke of the water of the riuer.

218 1650.  T. B., Worcester’s Apoph., 22. I … cold not come to the speech of any of them.

219 1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 117. This Empyreal substance cannot fail.

220 1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 642.        Audacious Yough, what madness cou’d provoke A Mortal Man t’ invade a sleeping God?

221 1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 11, ¶ 3. The whole Company … take Hands; then, at a certain sharp Note, they move round, and kick as kick can.

222 1875.  Jevons, Money (1878), 2. [She] could not consume any considerable portion of the receipts herself.

223 Mod.  What weight can you carry? Who can run farthest? The house can hold no more. Such language can do no good to the cause.

224   b.  In this and the prec. sense it occurs, used for the nonce, as a main verb, with infinitive.

225   [Cf. 1555–1607 in A 5.]

226 1566.  Drant, Horace’s Sat., I. iii. B vij. The wyse can rule; to can is full as muche As though he did.

227 1633.  P. Fletcher, Pisc. Ecl., VI. xxvi. If from this love thy will thou canst unbind, To will is here to can.

228 [1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev. (1872), III. III. iv. 118. What a Man kens he cans.]

229   5.  Expressing a possible contingency; = May possibly.

230 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2872. Ic am sonder man, Egipte folc me knowen can [= may possibly know me].

231 1609.  Bible (Douay), Numb. xxxii. 17. Whatsoever we can have, shal be in walled cities.

232 1816.  J. Wilson, City of Plague, I. i. 138. Dost think My mother can be living?

233   6.  Expressing possibility: To be permitted or enabled by the conditions of the case; can you...? = is it possible for you to...?

234 1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 299 a. Thou cannest not haue of Phocion a frende & a flaterer bothe to gether.

235 1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 38. And can you blame them?

236 1600.  Heywood, Edw. IV., I. II. iii. Thou cannest bear me witness.

237 1611.  Bible, 1 Cor. x. 21. Yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cup of deuils.

238 1664.  Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 195. You can hardly over-water your Strawberry-Beds.

239 1667.  Milton, P. L., III. 735. Thy way thou canst not miss.

240 1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 45, ¶ 9. The best Sort of Companion that can be.

241 a. 1856.  Longf., Vill. Blacksm., iii. You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow.

242 1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 221. Even if it could be believed that the court was sincere, a Dissenter might reasonably have determined to cast in his lot with the Church.

243   7.  In past subjunctive, expressing an inclination in a conditional form. (= Ger. könnte.)

244 1658–9.  Col. White, in Burton, Diary (1828), IV. 39. I could like well that they should be in that House.

245 1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 121, ¶ 8. I could wish our Royal Society would compile a Body of Natural History.

246 1786.  Mrs. Inchbald, Such things are, in Brit. Theat. (1808), 14. I cou’d not think of leaving you so soon.

247   8.  ellipt., with verb to be supplied from the context, or with do, make, come, get, etc., understood. Can or cannot away with: see AWAY 16. Cannot but: see BUT 7 c.

248 c. 1440.  Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), I. lxxii. I can wyth plente and I can wyth pouerte, I maye all in hym that strengthith me.

249 c. 1440.  Gesta Rom. (1879), 38. I am a seruaunt of yourys in all þat I can and may.

250 c. 1500.  Mayd Emlyn, in Anc. Poet. Tracts (1842), 27. He coude well awaye, With her lusty playe.

251 a. 1536.  Tindale, Pathw. Holy Script., Wks. I. 27. The more tangled art thou therein, and canst nowhere through.

252 1611.  Heywood, Gold. Age, II. i. Wks. 1874, III. 19. What cannot womens wits? they wonders can When they intend to blinde the eyes of man.

253 1678.  Dryden, All for Love, I. i. (1692), 2 (J.). Mecænas and Agrippa, who can most With Cæsar are his Foes.

254 1715.  De Foe, Fam. Instruct., I. iii. (1841), I. 63. I will do all I can with them.

255 1718.  Pope, Iliad, XIII. 987. What with this arm I can, prepare to know.

256 1719.  Young, Busiris, III. i. (1757), 53. What could your malice more?

257 1807.  Sir R. Wilson, in Life (1862), II. viii. 374. I could no more. I was really exhausted.

258 1869.  J. Martineau, Ess., II. 394. Whoever can and will may join the procession.

259   b.  Cards. Can-ye, can-you: see CAN-YOU.

260   III.  Senses now written CON.

261   † 9.  To get to know; to learn, study. Obs. In this sense it was also treated as a weak vb. with pa. pple. cand: the variant con was at length established as a separate form, with weak inflexions (cons, conned): see CON v.

262 1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 107. A man þat myȝte me wissen For to conne my crede.

263 1528.  More, Dial. Heresyes, I. Wks. 111/1. He laboured … to can many textes thereof by harte.

264 1530.  Palsgr., 93. If the lernar can perfitly these two exemples.

265 1563.  Mirr. Mag., Blacksm., xviii. 7. So fare they all that have not vertue cand.

266 1587.  Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 982/1. They had cand their lesson.

267   † 10.  To can or con thank(s: to express or offer thanks, to thank: app. originally ‘to acknowledge’ or ‘recognize’ one’s gratitude. [ME. thank cunne(n, OE. þonc cunnan, = þonc witan, in OS. thank witan, OHG. thank wiȥan. Cf. also Gr. χάριν εἰδέναι, (L. gratias meminisse), It. saper grado, Pr. saver grat, F. savoir gré, whence also in ME. to cunne gree, maulgre, to express one’s satisfaction or displeasure. These phrases were distinctly identified with can, could as late as 1525. But on the other hand, already in ME., the verb was often imagined to be different, and inflected as a weak vb. can or cunn (whence cannes, canned; cunnest, cunnes, cunneth, cunned) and in later times generally con (connest, cons, conned), rarely ken. See CON: the examples that follow illustrate its original form as belonging to can.]

268 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 31. Ne con crist him nenne þonc.

269 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 14065. I can hir mikel thank.

270 c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 4400. I drede thou canst me gret maugre.

271 1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, xviii. 26. Yef he canne ani good, thanne he wille cunne her moche thanke. Ibid. (1483), Gold. Leg., 364/4. The ladyes … couthe her moche thanke.

272 1483.  Vulgaria abs Terentio, 9 b. My maister cowde me grete thanke.

273 1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxxiv. 294. The good lady … coude hym great thanke.

274 1533.  More, Apology, xii. Wks. 871/2. No man hath any cause to can him ani thank.

275 1545.  Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 31. Not onelye I … but many other mo … wyll can you very moche thanke.

276 1584.  R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., XII. xiv. 201. The smiths will canne them small thankes for this praier.

277 [1672—See CON.]

278   ¶ The following examples show the tendency to make a separate vb. of it with regular inflexions. Some writers made it into gan, the converse of the change in CAN v.2

279 1534.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., II. Wks. 1210/1. Els would Christe haue canned her much more thanke.

280 1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 110 b. I allowe hym and gan hym thanke. Ibid., 248 a. Augustus … after gannyng hym thanke, commaunded [etc.].

281 1566.  Drant, Horace’s Sat. I. i. E vij b. And cannes me litle thankes.

282   IV.  ¶ Can, cannot, can be, can do, may for the nonce be used substantively in obvious senses.

283 1626.  W. Fenner, Hidden Manna (1652), 62. Hee hath still in every action more Can-does, then Wil-does.

284 1644.  Hunton, Vindic. Treat. Monarchy, vi. 51. Sure, by cannot, he understands fallaciously, as he useth to doe, a morall cannot.

285 1839.  Carlyle, Chartism, iii. 124. Let a man honour his craftsman, his can-do. Ibid., v. (1858), 25. How can do, if we will well interpret it, unites itself with shall-do among mortals; how strength acts ever as the right-arm of justice.

286   ¶ See also CAN-YOU.

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