Library / English Dictionary

ENABLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Render capable or able for some task

Example:

The rope enables you to secure yourself when you climb the mountain

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "enable" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "enable"):

equip (provide with abilities or understanding)

empower; endow; endue; gift; indue; invest (give qualities or abilities to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Antonym:

disable (make unable to perform a certain action)

Credits

 Context examples: 

This data collection enables multiple disciplines with special expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of carcinomas to facilitate the conduct of clinical- and laboratory-based cancer research.

(Annotated Tissue, NCI Thesaurus)

This construction enabled the weight of the sled and load to be distributed over the largest snow-surface; for the snow was crystal-powder and very soft.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Its data, coupled with images from a camera aboard the orbiter called the Mars Context Imager (MARCI), enabled scientists to detect numerous swelling dust towers.

(Global Storms on Mars Launch Dust Towers Into the Sky, NASA)

The models enable us to see the wide ranges of conditions that can cause displays to become stuck in the population, evolutionarily, said Maria R. Servedio, an NSF-funded UNC professor and study author.

(For species that mate for life, bonding behaviors provide advantages, National Science Foundation)

Even if it isn't more than five dollars, Martin thought to himself, it will buy enough beans and pea-soup to enable me to write half a dozen like it, and possibly as good.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He had even smoked there. I found the ash of a cigar, which my special knowledge of tobacco ashes enables me to pronounce as an Indian cigar.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

For that matter, it was her presence which enabled Smoke to act as he did.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Nevertheless, one hundred and forty pounds, to which was added the dignity that comes of good living and universal respect, enabled him to carry himself in right royal fashion.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

The method enabled scientists to ascertain Haumea's main characteristics, such as size, shape, density, as well as the existence of the ring.

(Brazil astronomers discover ring around dwarf planet near Pluto, Agência Brasil)

This increases the voltage associated with the charge stored in the yarn, enabling the harvesting of electricity.

(Energy-Harvesting Yarns Generate Electricity, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)