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Attitude vs Ability - What's the difference?

attitude | ability |

As nouns the difference between attitude and ability

is that attitude is while ability is (obsolete) suitableness .

attitude

English

Noun

  • The position of the body or way of carrying oneself; posture.
    • The ballet dancer walked with a graceful attitude
  • Disposition or state of mind.
    • ... but had a lazy attitude to work.
  • (uncountable, countable) A negative, irritating, or irritated attitude; posturing.
    • Don't give me your attitude .
    You've got some attitude , girl !
  • (aeronautics, nautical, engineering) The orientation of a vehicle or other object relative to the horizon, direction of motion, other objects, etc.
    • The airliner had to land with a nose-up attitude after the incident.
  • *
  • *
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  • (ballet) A position similar to arabesque, but with the raised leg bent at the knee.
  • * 2007 , Gayle Kassing, History of Dance: An Interactive Arts Approach , page 134,
    • Blasis was a man of many accomplishments. He invented the ballet position of attitude and codified the ballet technique of that time, distinguishing three types of dancers: the serious, the demi-caractère , and the comic dancer.

    Synonyms

    * stance * (position of vehicle etc) trim, orientation

    Derived terms

    () * attitude-y * attitudinal * dickitude * tude

    Verb

    (attitud)
  • To assume or to place in a particular position or orientation; to pose.
  • * 1823 , Felix M'Donogh, The Hermit Abroad , Volume 1, page 122,
  • * 1837 , William E. Burton, The Gentleman's Magazine , Volume 1, page 123,
    • Attituded like an inspired curling-tongs, leaning back heavily on his right leg, and throwing forward his left, his arm elevated to a level with his shoulder, the clenched fist grasping a brush that might have been available in
  • * 1971 , , Advances in Astronautical Sciences , Volume 29, Part 2, page 395,
    • The attituded control gyro package, electronics, APS gas supply, and the preentry electronics are mounted internally, and are distributed circumferentially at the major ring.
  • To express an attitude through one's posture, bearing, tone of voice, etc.
  • * 2002 , Wayne Normis, The Last Street Fighter , page 33,
    • He attituded his way over to me, got up close, and just stood there looking at me, trying to appear threatening.
  • * 2008 , Yvonne Müller, "The Absentee": an Interpretation - an Analysis of Maria Edgeworth's Novel , page 12,
    • The typical characteristic attituded toward the English is coldness.
  • * 2010 , R. Scott, Nine Months and a Year Later , page 82,
    • I was really tripping, 'cause this nigga had the nerve to be attituded up when he was the one always doing something he had no business doing.

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    *

    ability

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete) hability

    Noun

  • (obsolete) Suitableness.
  • (uncountable) The quality or state of being able; capacity to do; capacity of doing something; having the necessary power.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author=(Peter Wilby)
    • , volume=189, issue=6, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title=[http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/jul/01/education-michael-gove-finland-gcse Finland spreads word on schools] , passage=Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.}}
  • The legal wherewithal to act.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title=[http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21579860-g8-pledges-tackle-three-ts-t-time T time] , passage=The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies.}}
  • (archaic) Financial ability.
  • (uncountable) A unique power of the mind; a faculty.
  • * (rfdate) (Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
    • Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study -
  • (countable) A skill or competence in doing; mental power; talent; aptitude.
  • * (rfdate) (King James Bible) , (w) 11:29
    • Then the disciples, every man according to his ability , determined to send relief unto the brethren.
  • * (rfdate) (1800-1859)
    • The public men of England, with much of a peculiar kind of ability
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=November 10, author=Jeremy Wilson, work=Telegraph
    • , title=[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/8882713/England-Under-21-5-Iceland-Under-21-0-match-report.html England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report] , passage=The most persistent tormentor was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored a hat-trick in last month’s corresponding fixture in Iceland. His ability to run at defences is instantly striking, but it is his clever use of possession that has persuaded some shrewd judges that he is an even better prospect than Theo Walcott.}}

    Usage notes

    * (skill or competence) Usually used in the plural. * 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 supposes something to be ''done'',George Crabb, 1826, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=YEgSAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13 English synonymes explained in alphabetical order]'', Collins & Hannay, page 13 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 , and [[w:Edmund Burke, 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.

    Synonyms

    * (quality or state of being able) capacity, faculty, capability * (a skill or competence) See * (high level of skill or capability) talent, cleverness, dexterity, aptitude * (suitability or receptiveness to be acted upon) capability, faculty, capacity, aptness, aptitude

    Related terms

    *

    External links

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    References