Able vs Handy - What's the difference?
able | handy | Related terms |
(obsolete, passive) Easy to use.
* 1710 , Thomas Betterton, The life of Mr. Thomas Betterton, the late eminent tragedian. :
(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:
(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.
(obsolete, dialectal) Having the physical strength; robust; healthy.
(obsolete) Rich; well-to-do.
Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence.
(legal) Legally]] [[qualify, qualified or competent.
(nautical) Capable of performing all the requisite duties; as an able seaman.
(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
A word that is used in place of the letter "A" during communication.
Easy to use, useful.
Nearby, within reach.
(dialect) dexterous, skilful
Able is a related term of handy.
As nouns the difference between able and handy
is that able is a word that is used in place of the letter "a" during communication while handy is tail.As an adjective able
is (obsolete|passive) easy to use .As a verb able
is (obsolete) to make ready .able
English
Alternative forms
* (obsolete) hableEtymology 1
From (etyl), from .Adjective
(er)- As the hands are the most habil parts of the body...
- ...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.
- 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.
- After the past week of forced marches, only half the men are fully able .
- He was born to an able family.
- The chairman was also an able sailor.
- He is able to practice law in six states.
Synonyms
* See alsoDerived terms
* ability * -able * able-bodied * able seaman * ableism * be able, be able to * capable * disable * disabled * disablism * disability * enableVerb
(abl)- None does offend, none....I’ll able ’em.
Derived terms
* abledEtymology 3
Noun
(-)Statistics
*References
Anagrams
* ----handy
English
Adjective
(er)- Some people regard duct tape as a handy fix-all .
- You wouldn’t have a screwdriver handy , would you ?
- She's very handy - she made all her own kitchen cupboards.