can

can1 [ weak kən, strong kæn ] modal verb ***

Can is usually followed by an infinitive without to :

I can speak French. Sometimes it is used without a following infinitive:

Come and help us, if you can.

Can does not change its form, so the third person singular form does not end in -s :

She can speak Japanese.

Questions and negatives are formed without do :

Can you swim?

The negative form of can is cannot:

We cannot allow this behavior to continue. Cannot is often shortened in conversation or informal writing to can't:

I can't find my brown jacket.

Can is often used in tag questions:

They can't hear us, can they?

Can has no participles and no infinitive form. Be able to is used as the infinitive to show ability or possibility:

I want to be able to choose my own career.

Could is used as the past tense of can when it means that someone had the ability to do something, or that something was possible:

New York was a place where anyone could start a business. But was/were able to is used for saying that someone actually succeeded in doing something:

By climbing on the table he was able to reach the window.

There is no future tense of can, but will be able to is used for saying that someone will have the ability to do something or that something will be possible in the future, especially after a long time:

She'll be able to walk soon.

A hundred years from now people will be able to visit Mars. Can is usually used when planning or deciding about the near future:

We can go shopping tomorrow.

There is no perfect tense of can, so has/have been able to is used:

I haven't been able to call my parents yet.

1. ) have the ability or means to do something

a ) to have the necessary ability, knowledge, money, or equipment to do something:

Can you swim? No I can't.

Ingrid could play the violin by the time she was six.

The machine can translate simple messages into 24 different languages.

They couldn't afford to pay for a nice funeral.

The U.N. has promised to help as much as it can.

b ) used for saying that you see, hear, feel, taste, smell, understand, or remember something:

Paul could hear someone calling his name.

There have been May Day celebrations here for as long as anyone can remember.

2. ) used for saying what is possible

a ) used for saying whether the situation makes it possible for you to do something at a particular time:

I'm sorry, Dr. Brown can't speak to you now she's got someone with her.

If the weather's good tomorrow, we can go fishing.

How can I work with all this noise going on?

b ) used for saying that it is possible to do something:

You can travel from London to New York in under 6 hours these days.

Tickets can be bought from the Tourist Information Center.

3. ) be allowed to do something to be allowed to do something, or have the right or power to do it:

You can borrow my calculator if you want.

Anyone age 18 or over can vote in a general election.

You can't sit there. Those seats are reserved.

Only the President could order the armed forces into battle.

4. ) used in requests, offers, etc. SPOKEN used in requests, or when offering or suggesting something:

Can you tell me where Mr. Lawson's office is?

Can I have another piece of that delicious cake?

Can I offer you something to drink?

Can I make a suggestion?

5. ) when something should not happen always in negatives used for emphasizing that something should not happen or continue:

We can't go on borrowing money when there's no hope of ever paying it back.

These men cannot be allowed to profit from their criminal activities.

6. ) used for expressing surprise usually in negatives or questions MAINLY SPOKEN used when you want to emphasize how surprised or shocked you are:

He can't be here already! I haven't even started getting dressed.

Of course I'm not lying to you. How can you say such a thing!

7. ) used for emphasizing how you feel usually in negatives or questions SPOKEN used with verbs such as say, imagine, or believe when you are telling someone about a situation and you want to emphasize how strongly you feel about it:

I can't tell you how relieved I am to know that everyone is safe.

You can guess how I felt when he said I was too old.

I can't believe she told him that.

8. ) used for saying what sometimes happens used for saying that something sometimes happens or is sometimes possible or true:

Temperatures can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.

Even minor head injuries can be serious.

9. ) when someone will have to do something SPOKEN used for saying what someone will have to do, when you are annoyed with them or do not approve of them:

If he doesn't want to come to work on time, he can look for another job.

10. ) when something seems very unlikely always in negatives used for saying that you feel sure something is not possible or true:

The hotel can't be far from here.

I'm sure he can't have forgotten about the wedding!

11. ) when nothing else is possible used when only one opinion, meaning, or decision is possible:

How can I possibly refuse such a charming invitation?

Can there be any doubt about his intentions?

When he slams the door like that, it can mean only one thing trouble.

no can do HUMOROUS

a very informal way of saying that you cannot do something that you have been asked to do:

No can do, I'm afraid I need the boss's signature for that.

=> CAN-DO

what/who/where can...? SPOKEN

used when you cannot understand a situation and you are considering possible explanations:

Who can be calling us at this time of night?

What can they be doing upstairs to make so much noise?

can

can 2 [ kæn ] noun count ***

1. ) a closed metal container with round sides, for food or drinks. It is opened with a can opener. In British English the word tin is usually used if a can contains food, but not if it contains a drink:

empty beer cans

a can of beans/soda

a ) a metal container with round sides and a lid, used especially for holding liquids:

There's a little paint left in the can.

a garbage can

b ) SPRAY CAN:

a can of insect repellent

c ) the amount of food, drink, paint, etc. that a metal container holds:

can of: Add two cans of tomatoes to the sauce and stir.

2. ) the can AMERICAN INFORMAL a toilet

3. ) the can AMERICAN INFORMAL a prison

4. ) AMERICAN IMPOLITE your bottom

a can of worms

a situation that involves a complicated set of problems that you discover when you start dealing with it:

You opened a real can of worms with that last question.

in the can INFORMAL

if a piece of work, especially a movie, is in the can, it has been finished

can

can 3 [ kæn ] verb transitive *

1. ) to preserve food in metal containers by storing it without air

2. ) AMERICAN INFORMAL to make someone leave their job, for example because their work is not good enough. The usual word for this is to fire someone:

He got canned for showing up late once too often.

can it AMERICAN SPOKEN

used for rudely telling someone to stop talking