can1
modal v.
(3rd sing. present can; past could)
- be able to.
▸
[
with neg. or in questions]
used to express doubt or surprise:
he can't have finished.
▸used to indicate that something is typically the case:
he could be very moody.
- be permitted to.
Usage
The use of can rather than may to request or express permission, as in may/can I ask you a few questions?, is not incorrect in standard English, although some people object to it. May is, generally speaking, a more polite way of asking for something, however, and is the better choice in more formal contexts.
Etymology
OE cunnan ‘know’.
can2
n.
- a cylindrical metal container, in particular one in which food or drink is hermetically sealed for storage over long periods.
-
(the can)
N. Amer. informal prison.
-
(the can)
N. Amer. informal a toilet.
-
(cans)
informal headphones.
v.
(cans, canning, canned)
- preserve in a can.
- N. Amer. informal dismiss from a job or reject as inadequate.
Phrase
- a can of worms
a complicated matter likely to prove awkward or embarrassing. - in the can
informal on tape or film and ready to be broadcast or released.
Derivative
Etymology
OE canne, either of Gmc origin or from late L. canna.