Able vs Available - What's the difference?

In lang=en terms the difference between able and available

is that able is legally qualified or competent while available is valid.

As adjectives the difference between able and available

is that able is easy to use while available is such as one may avail one’s self of; capable of being used for the accomplishment of a purpose.

As a verb able

is to make ready.

As a noun able

is a word that is used in place of the letter "A" during communication.^Wp

able

English

Alternative forms

* (obsolete) hable

Etymology 1

From (etyl), from .

Adjective

(er)

(obsolete, passive) Easy to use.

* 1710 , Thomas Betterton, The life of Mr. Thomas Betterton, the late eminent tragedian. :

As the hands are the most habil parts of the body...

(obsolete, passive) Suitable; competent.

* 2006 , Jon L. Wakelyn, America's Founding Charters: Primary Documents of Colonial and Revolutionary Era Governance, Volume 1 , Greenwood Publishing Group, pages 212:

...and for every able man servant that he or she shall carry or send armed and provided as aforesaid, ninety acres of land of like measure.

(obsolete, dialectal, passive) Liable to.

Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task.

Free from constraints preventing completion of task; permitted to; not prevented from.

I’ll see you as soon as I’m able .

With that obstacle removed, I am now able to proceed with my plan.

I’m only able to visit you when I have other work here.

That cliff is able to be climbed.

(obsolete, dialectal) Having the physical strength; robust; healthy.

After the past week of forced marches, only half the men are fully able .

(obsolete) Rich; well-to-do.

He was born to an able family.

Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence.

The chairman was also an able sailor.

(legal) Legally]] [[qualify, qualified or competent.

He is able to practice law in six states.

(nautical) Capable of performing all the requisite duties; as an able seaman.

Synonyms

* See also

Derived terms

* ability * -able * able-bodied * able seaman * ableism * be able, be able to * capable * disable * disabled * disablism * disability * enable

Etymology 2

From (etyl) ablen, from (etyl) able (adjective).

Verb

(abl)

(obsolete) To make ready.

(obsolete) To make capable; to enable.

(obsolete) To dress.

(obsolete) To give power to; to reinforce; to confirm.

(obsolete) To vouch for; to guarantee.

* vi

None does offend, none....I’ll able ’em.

Derived terms

* abled

Etymology 3

Noun

(-)

A word that is used in place of the letter "A" during communication.

Statistics

References

Anagrams

* ----

available

English

Adjective

(en adjective)

Such as one may avail one’s self of; capable of being used for the accomplishment of a purpose.

* {{quote-book, year=1905, author=

, title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=For this scene, a large number of supers are engaged, and in order to further swell the crowd, practically all the available stage hands have to ‘walk on’ dressed in various coloured dominoes, and all wearing masks.}}

We have an available candidate.

Readily obtainable.

The list shows the available products in the store.

(legal) Valid.

This is an available plea.

(archaic) Having sufficient power, force, or efficacy to achieve the purpose; availing, effective.

Not in a romantic relationship; single.

I asked her if she was available but she said she had a boyfriend.

Synonyms

* (such as can be availed of) usable, profitable, advantageous; vacant (of a location) * (legally valid) effectual, valid

Antonyms

* (such as can be availed of) unavailable