Can v.¹

irreg. (Forms: see below.) [A defective verb, belonging to the small but interesting group of Teutonic preterite-present verbs (now chiefly used as auxiliaries of tense, mood or predication), in form characterized by having as their present tense an original preterite, which retains the preterite form but has come to have a present signification, and from which a new weak past tense has subsequently been developed. Cf. dare, etc. OE. cunnan, pres. Ind. can (cǫn), pa. cúðe (:—cunðe), is identical with OFris. kunna, kan, kunda (konda), OS. cunnan, can, consta, const, (Du. kunnen, kan, konde), OHG. kunnan, kan, kunda (konda), or kunsta (konsta), (Ger. können, kann, konnte), ON. kunna, kann, kunna (:—kunða), Goth. (and OTeut.) kunnan, kann, kunþa. The OTeut. sense was ‘to know, know how, be mentally or intellectually able,’ whence ‘to be able generally, be physically able, have the power, L. posse.’ Since the present was formally a preterite, its meaning ‘I know’ must have been derived from that of ‘I have learned, I have attained to knowledge’; the original present stem being *kin-n- or *ken-n-, pre-Teut. *gen-n-: cf. Lith. zinaú I know, Zend ā-zaiñ-ti knowledge, OIr. pret. adgéin he knew. Beside this Teutonic has knǣ- (ablaut form knô-), WGer. knā-, whence OE. cnáwan to KNOW, OHG. ir-chnâ-an, bi-chnâ-an, to recognize, ûr-chnâ-t recognition (answering to a Goth. *-knêps fem.). This stem is widely diffused in the Aryan langs.; cf. L., Gr. gnô- in L. gnô-sco, Gr. γι-γνώ-σκω (ἔ-γνω-ν); OSlav. zna-ti to know; OIr. gnáth known. In Skr. the pres. has stem jan-, the preterite jñā, jānā^lmi, jajña^lu.

  It has been further thought that the root was originally related to the Aryan gen- (with by-forms gnā-, gnō-), to bring forth, produce, Skr. ja′nāmi, pret. jajā′na, L., Gr. gen-, gi-gn- (see KIN, KING); but if so, they were already differentiated in Old Aryan, and the nature of the connection of sense has not been determined.]

  Here, as in BE, it will be convenient to illustrate the inflexions separately from the senses.

  A.  Inflexions.

  1.  Pres. Indic.

  1st and 3rd sing. can (kæn, kăn, k’n).

  Forms: 1–4 cann, con, conn, 1– can, (4–5 conne, canne; also kan, etc.).

a. 1000.  Cædmon, Poems, Sat., 250. Ic can eow læran. Ibid., 629. Ic eow ne con.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 35. Nis nan sunne þet he ne con.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 206. More vuel þen heo con.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 309. Ic wene I can a red.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., 20358. O me self can [later MSS. con, canne] I na rede.

c. 1320.  Cast. Loue, 555. Hose þis forbysene con.

c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., xxxiii. I conne notte say.

1467.  Eng. Gilds (1870), 407. The craft that he canne.

1556.  J. Heywood, Spider & F., G iij. Sure I can no false knackes.

Mod.  What can it be?

  2nd sing. canst (kænst).

  Forms: 1–4 const, 1– canst, (4–5 konst, kanst, 6 canest, 6–7 cannest), northern 3– can, kan.

a. 1000.  Andreas, 68 (Gr.). Þu ana canst ealra ʓehygdo.

a. 1225.  Juliana, 66. Greiðe hwet so þu const grimliche biþenchen.

a. 1240.  Lofsong, in Cott. Hom., 217. To þe þet const and wult wel don.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12121. I can þe ken þat þou ne can. Ibid. (a. 1400), 824 (Add. MS.). Ynow þou canst fynde.

c. 1500.  in Hazl., E. P. P., 36. Canst thou thy byleve?

1526.  Tindale, Mark i. 40. Yf thou wilt, thou cannest [1557 Genev., etc., canst] make me clene.

1600.  [see B 6].

1610.  Shaks., Temp., III. ii. 67. Canst thou bring me to the party?

  plural can.

  Forms: 1–2 cunnon (cunne-), 2–5 cunnen, (4–5 kunnen), 3–5 cunne, 4–5 connen, conne, 4–5 south. kunneþ, conneþ, 3– north. con, can, (kan), 5– can.

Beowulf, 1162. Men ne cunnon.

a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Daniel, 141. Ȝe ne cunnon.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 75. Alle ȝe kunnen … ower credo.

c. 1205.  Lay., 7301. Tweien wise men · þe wel cunnen a speche [c. 1275 conne of speche]. Ibid., 23059. Ne cunne we demen [c. 1275 ne con we telle].

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 9065. Quat rede can [v.r. con] we.

1340.  Ayenb., 249. Þo þet conneþ … onderstonde.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter ix. 11. Oþer þat kan þaim noght.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 4184. As wel as we kunne.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqrs. Prol., 3. For certes ye konnen [v.r. konne, can].

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (1865), II. 169. Þese men … kunneþ wel inow telle.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., I. xvi. 89. Manye kunnen suche textis bi herte.

1550.  Latimer, Serm. Stamford, II. 104. All that can it not may learne.

1835.  Browning, Paracels., IV. Wks. I. 149. You can see the root of the matter.

  Negative cannot (kæ·nǭt); famil. can’t (kānt). (Sc. canna). (The earlier mode was to prefix ne.)

a. 1400[?].  Cursor M. (add. to Cott.), p. 959. 105. And þou þat he deed fore cannot sorus be.

1451.  Paston Lett., 140, I. 186. Other tydyngs as yett can I non tell you. Ibid., 172, I. 229. Whethir it be thus or non I can not say.

15[?].  Plumpton Corr., 72. I canot get my money.

1706.  Col. Records Penn., II. 256. The House cant agree to this.

1741.  Richardson, Pamela, I. 46. If he has deign’d to love me, and you say can’t help it.

1742.  Young, Nt. Th., I. 89. An angel’s arm can’t snatch me from the grave; Legions of angels can’t confine me there.

1827.  Keble, Chr. Y., 4. Without Thee I cannot live.

Mod.  Can’t you go?

  2.  Past Indic. 1st and 3rd sing. could (kud).

  Forms: α. 1 cúðe, 2–3 cuþe, kuthe, 3–5 cowþe, cowthe, (4 coth), 4–5 couþe, 4–6 couthe, (5 couȝthe), 4 north. cuþ, cuth, 4–6 couth, (also in 4–5 with k-); β. 4–6 coude, k-, 5–6 coud, 7–8 often cou’d; γ. 6 coulde, 6– could, (6 coold, 6–7 cold, 6– Sc. culd).

  The current spelling is erroneous: l began to be inserted about 1525, app. in mechanical imitation of should and would, where an etymological l had become silent, so that these words now rhymed with coud, and might better have been written shoud, woud; cf. northern wad. In the sense know, the earlier form couth was retained longer.

  α.  c. 893.  K. Ælfred, Oros., I. ii. § 1. Ninus … se cuðe manna ærest dry-cræftas.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 289. Ne kuðe he noȝt blinne.

a. 1274.  Prisoner’s Prayer, 1, in Philol. Trans. (1868), 104. Ar ne kuthe ich sorghe non.

c. 1297.  R. Glouc. 29. He was y flowe an hey, & ne cowþe not a-liȝte.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 21420 (Cott.). Ful wel he cuth [later MS. cutht, couþe]. Ibid., 23945 (Edin.). I wald spek if I cuþe [C. G. cuth, F. couþe].

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 813. As þe wyf couþe.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 7444. Wha couth þan telle.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 75. He took fro them all that he couthe.

1519.  Mem. Ripon (1882), I. 315. In as convenient hast as I couthe.

1530.  Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 875. In Inglande couthe scho get none ordinance.

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Jan., 10. Well couth he tune his pipe.

1607.  Walkington, Opt. Glass, 18. Ne any couth his wit so hiely straine.

1652.  C. Stapylton, Herodian, V. 37. So well his leere he Couth [rhyme South].

  β.  c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 4378. As he coude.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqrs. T., 31. A Rethor excellent That koude [v.r. coude, couþe, kouþe, couþe] hise colours.

a. 1400.  Octouian, 111 (W.). The emperour, couthde no man kythe His ioye.

c. 1420.  Chron. Vilod., 554. As he wel couȝthe and ouȝte to do.

1478.  John Paston, Lett., 812, III. 219. He koud get the good wyll.

c. 1500.  in Hazl., E. P. P., 211. Yet could he neyther pates noster nor ave.

c. 1532.  Ld. Berners, Huon, clxvi. 654. Al preuely as he coude.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 737.

1762.  Gentl. Mag., 137. [Will] cou’d his fears impart.

  γ.  c. 1530.  Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 129. There was none that coude … yet Gouernar dyd as moche as he coulde.

1530.  Myrr. our Ladye (1873), 20. The same Alphonse … coulde nothynge of her language.

1575.  Laneham, Lett. (1871), 61. I coold my rulez, coold conster, and pars.

1584.  Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 315. [He] cold doo no good.

1588.  A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 114. He culd nocht be præiudiciable to y^e kirk.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 6. He could not rest.

c. 1620.  A. Hume, Brit. Tong. (1865), 20. Of this I cold reckon armies.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 265. William declared that he could not consent to entrust Papists with any share of the government.

1882.  ‘Leslie Keith,’ Alasnam’s Lady, III. 201. He really couldn’t say where.

  2nd sing. couldest, couldst (kudst).

  Forms: 1 cúðest, 4 couthest, coudest, 6– couldest, couldst.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John i. 48. Hwanon cuðest ðu me [Lindisf. wistes ðu vel cuðes ðu].

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 540. Koudestow auȝte wissen vs þe weye. Ibid., VIII. 76. Þow couthest me wisse.

1526.  Tindale, Mark xiv. 37. Couldest not thou watche [so all exc. Rhem. couldst, Wyclif myȝtist not].

1667.  Milton, P. L., IV. 950. And couldst thou faithful add?… Faithful to whom?

  plural could (kud).

  Forms: 1 cúðon, 2–3 cuþen, 3–5 couthen, couthe, (4 coþen, 5 coothe), 4–6 couth, 4–5 koude, cowde, 5–6 coude, 6 kowd, colde, 6– could.

a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Daniel, 258. [Hi] dydon swa hie cuðon.

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 223. Hi cuðon ȝeiðer god and yfel.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12344. Wele þai couthe þaire lorde knaw. Ibid. (c. 1340), 14716. Þai cowd a-gayn him finde resoun nane.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 1033. Alle þe surgyens of salerne … ne couþen have ȝour langoures a-legget.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 789. Welle koude they the gise.

1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, III. iii. (1483), 51. Ye that more good coothe.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., I. vi. 28. As othere men miȝten and couthen do.

c. 1450.  Merlin, x. 146. Thei cowde heir tydynges.

1475.  Bk. Noblesse (1860), 13. They … couthe have no socoure.

1510.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr. (Pynson), viii. D j. They coude the langage of Ebrewe.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, vii. 16. The ii. brethern kowd not.

1580.  Sidney, Arcadia, 397. Well my pipe they couth.

1646.  E. F[isher], Mod. Divinity, 237. They could skill to say.

Mod.  Could you or couldn’t you?

  3.  Pres. Subj.: sing. can (kæn). Since 16th c. levelled with the Indic.

  Forms: 1–4 cunne, (3–4 kunne), 4–5 conne, (4 cone, konne).

a. 1000.  Satan, 702. Ðæt ðu cunne.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 280. Hwat turn his fere ne cunne nout.

c. 1250.  Hymn Virg., I. 45. Nis non maiden … þat swo derne louiȝe kunne.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 26. Thow knowest wel … And þow conne resoun.

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 50. Though I ne conne but a lite.

c. 1450.  Merlin, ii. 40. With that thou conne me no magre.

1528.  Roy, Sat. All though he canne many a wyle.

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. ii. 34. List if thou can heare the tread [Qq. canst] of Trauellers.

Mod.  He will come if he can.

  plural can.

  Forms: 1–3 cunnen, 2–3 cunne, 4–6 conne.

a. 1000.  Elene, 374. Þæt [hi] andsware secʓan cunnen.

1735.  Berkeley, Wks., 1871, III. 320. Confute them if you can.

  4.  Past Subj. sing. could, 2nd sing. could(e)st. (Like the Indicative.)

  Forms: 1 cúðe, 3–5 couthe, (4 coþe, kouȝde), 4–6 couth, 4–6 coud, coude, 5 cowde, 6– could.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 438. If he cuth [v.r. coude, couth, couþe]. Ibid., 4555. Coud þu [v.r. cuth, cowde; Trin. coudestou] tell me quat it ware. Ibid., 20024. Þof … i cothe.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 382. No leyser to telle all ȝif I kouȝde.

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom. (1878), 361. If thou couthiste peynte.

1508.  Fisher, Wks. (1876), 172. So yf he coude fynde .x. good & ryghtwyse persones.

c. 1532.  Ld. Berners, Huon, clxvi. 654. To seke yf he coude fynde the damoysell.

1586.  Ferne, Lacies Nobilitie, 11. I had rather … my daughter Alice couth karoll a lay so lustilie.

1656.  Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit. (1851). Oh that thou couldest!

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 705. Were Lovers Judges, or cou’d Hell forgive.

Mod.  I wish I could help you.

  plural could.

  Forms: 1 cúðen, 3–4 couthen, coude, 6– could.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1330. Þah we cuðen.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 369. Til þat he kouþen speken.

1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 62. Ȝif þei couþen her crede.

1611.  Bible, 2 Cor. xi. 1. Would to God ye could bear with mee a little in my folly.

  5.  Infinitive can (kæn). Obs. exc. Sc. or dial.

  Forms: 1 cunnan, 2–4 cunnen, 3–5 cunne, 4 connen, 4–5 conne, 6– can (in 9 dial.; regular in Sc.) See also CON v.

a. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 73. Þet heo sculen … heore bileue cunnen.

a. 1240.  Moral Ode, 332. He sceal him cunne sculde wel.

a. 1300.  Finding Cross, 216, in Leg. Rood (1871), 93. Þe laws wele better mai he cun.

c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 1071. He scholde konnen al þat God con.

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 2570. Na mare saltow ham con rede þen sternes of heyuen.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, V. 1404. Cryseyde shal not conne knowe me.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 245. To cunne no more þan is nede to cunne but to cunne to subrenesse.

1393.  Gower, Conf., II. 158. To conne arede.

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., 55. Wold I ken, And kun him thank.

1484.  Caxton, Curial, 5. He shal neuer conne trotte.

1555.  Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 52. To wyl to doo hurte & can not.

1607–12.  Bacon, Gt. Place, Ess. (Arb.), 282. In evill, the best condicion is not to will, the second not to can.

1816.  Scott, Antiq., xxvi. ‘He’ll no can haud down his head to sneeze, for fear o’ seeing his shoon.’

1847.  Frances Kemble (Mrs. Butler), Rec. Later Life (1882), III. 165. Lady Macbeth, which I never could, and cannot, and never shall can act.

1886.  Stevenson, Kidnapped, 293. ‘Ye’ll can name your business.’

  † 6.  Pres. pple. cunning (in OE. cunnand), now only as adj., q.v. Obs.

  † 7.  Pa. pple. could: in OE. cúþ, ME. couth, chiefly as adj.: see COUTH. As pple. conne (= cun, on model of str. vbs.) occurs anomalously, and in mod. dialects could is commonly so used.

1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, I. ii. (1859), 3. Yf thou haddest ony good conne.

Mod. Sc.  He has not could come. If I had could find it.

  8.  vbl. sb. CUNNING, q.v. As a gerund canning has been used for the nonce, and is in mod.Sc.

1563–87.  Foxe, A. & M. (1684), II. 419. In canning the text of the whole New Testament … without book.

  B.  Signification.

  I.  As an independent verb.

  † 1.  trans. To know. a. To know or be acquainted with (a person). b. To know or have learned (a thing); to have practical knowledge of (a language, art, etc.). To can by heart: to know by heart. To can one’s good: to know what is good for one. Obs.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxv. 12. Ne can ic eow.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 29. Cune sume meðe þenne þu almesse makest.

c. 1297.  R. Glouc. 443. Of Engelond ne con ych non rede.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 13142. Sco sa well her mister cuth.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter Comm. 22. Þe lord þat all þing can.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Miller’s T., 18. I can a noble tale for the noones.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. III. 281. I can nouȝt but þat I can nouȝt.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1251. For sleght þat he couth.

1480.  Caxton, Descr. Brit., 35. Now they lerne no frenssh ne can none.

1526.  Skelton, Magnyf., 561. Can you a remedy for the tysyke?

1538.  Coverdale, N. T., Ded. To … instruct such as can but English.

1541.  Paynell, Catiline, l. 74. Metellus wold haue recited the lawe without wrytynge (for he coulde it by hart).

1548.  Hall, Chron. (1809), 363. An honest manne and one that could his good.

1563–87.  Foxe, A. & M. (1684), II. 325. Unlearned men that can no letters.

1591.  Harington, Orl. Fur., LXXXV. xxiii. It had bin well that he it never coud.

1600.  Fairfax, Tasso, X. iv. 180. The way right well he could.

1602.  Carew, Cornwall, 56 a. Most of the Inhabitants can no word of Cornish.

1632.  B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, I. i. She could the Bible in the holy tongue.

1649.  Lovelace, Poems (1659), 120. Yet can I Musick too; but such As is beyond all Voice or Touch.

  c.  In phrase To can (some, no, small, good, etc.) skill of or in: to have skill in, be skilled in.

c. 1518.  Pace, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., III. I. 186. They couth goodde skele in byldyngs.

1532.  Hervet, Xenophon’s Househ. (1768), 52. A carpenter … that can good skylle therof.

1538.  Leland, Itin., II. 56. One Thomas Long … could skille of the Law.

1578.  T. Proctor, Gorg. Gallery. Talke thou of that, wherin some skill thou can.

1613.  Chapman, B. D’Ambois’ Rev., Plays 1873, II. 180. Since I could skill of man.

1644.  Bulwer, Chiron., 19. One that could well skill in Manuall Rhetorique.

1710.  Philips, Pastorals, iv. 23. No Skill of Musick can I, simple Swain.

  2.  intr. To have knowledge, to know of; also to know much or little of. arch.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 560. Bute thu canst of chateringe.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 740. Þat mast kan bath on crok and craft. Ibid., 7408 (Gött.). He coude of harpe mekil bi rote.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 2529. A mad priste, That neuer colde of no knighthode, but in a kirke chyde.

c. 1420.  Avow. Arth., xvii. The king couthe of venery.

1602.  Rowlands, Greene’s Ghost (1860), 70. I neuer was there (that I can of).

1825.  Scott, Talism. (1854), 407. Thou canst well of wood-craft.

a. 1875.  Kingsley, Poems, Little Baltung, 82. That cunning Kaiser was a scholar wise, And could of gramarye.

  II.  With infinitive, as auxiliary of predication.

  (Many manuals of English Grammar have ineptly treated can so construed, as an auxiliary of the Subjunctive or ‘Potential’ mood!)

  3.  To know how (to do anything); to have learned, to be intellectually able.

a. 1154.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. Suilc & mare þanne we cunnen sæin.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 14692. Your aun bok yee can noght spell.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 176. Wel coude he peynte, I undirtake, That such ymage coude make.

1485.  Caxton, Paris & V. (1868), 64. On al the maners that ye shal conne demaunde. Ibid. (1490), How to Die, 2. To conne deye is to haue in all tymes his herte redy.

a. 1520.  Myrr. our Ladye, 148. Dyscrecion to canne kepe peace . on all partyes.

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Jan., 10. Well couth hee tune his pipe.

1726.  Gay, Fables, II. vi. 48. We country-folks Cou’d ope our gracious monarch’s eyes.

  This passes imperceptibly into the current sense:

  4.  To be able; to have the power, ability or capacity. (Said of physical as well as mental, and of natural as well as acquired ability; = L. posse, F. pouvoir.)

a. 1300.  Havelok, 111. So yung þat sho ne couþe Gon on fote.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, III. 431. Sum off thaim couth swome full weill.

1475.  Bk. Noblesse, 76. To can renne withe speer.

1526.  Tindale, Mark xiv. 37. Coudest not thou watche with me one hour?

1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 6. Thou canest not with one view peruse the wide compasse of it.

1611.  Bible, Ex. vii. 21. The Egyptians could not drinke of the water of the riuer.

1650.  T. B., Worcester’s Apoph., 22. I … cold not come to the speech of any of them.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 117. This Empyreal substance cannot fail.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 642.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 11, ¶ 3. The whole Company … take Hands; then, at a certain sharp Note, they move round, and kick as kick can.

1875.  Jevons, Money (1878), 2. [She] could not consume any considerable portion of the receipts herself.

Mod.  What weight can you carry? Who can run farthest? The house can hold no more. Such language can do no good to the cause.

  b.  In this and the prec. sense it occurs, used for the nonce, as a main verb, with infinitive.

  [Cf. 1555–1607 in A 5.]

1566.  Drant, Horace’s Sat., I. iii. B vij. The wyse can rule; to can is full as muche As though he did.

1633.  P. Fletcher, Pisc. Ecl., VI. xxvi. If from this love thy will thou canst unbind, To will is here to can.

[1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev. (1872), III. III. iv. 118. What a Man kens he cans.]

  5.  Expressing a possible contingency; = May possibly.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2872. Ic am sonder man, Egipte folc me knowen can [= may possibly know me].

1609.  Bible (Douay), Numb. xxxii. 17. Whatsoever we can have, shal be in walled cities.

1816.  J. Wilson, City of Plague, I. i. 138. Dost think My mother can be living?

  6.  Expressing possibility: To be permitted or enabled by the conditions of the case; can you...? = is it possible for you to...?

1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 299 a. Thou cannest not haue of Phocion a frende & a flaterer bothe to gether.

1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 38. And can you blame them?

1600.  Heywood, Edw. IV., I. II. iii. Thou cannest bear me witness.

1611.  Bible, 1 Cor. x. 21. Yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cup of deuils.

1664.  Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 195. You can hardly over-water your Strawberry-Beds.

1667.  Milton, P. L., III. 735. Thy way thou canst not miss.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 45, ¶ 9. The best Sort of Companion that can be.

a. 1856.  Longf., Vill. Blacksm., iii. You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 221. Even if it could be believed that the court was sincere, a Dissenter might reasonably have determined to cast in his lot with the Church.

  7.  In past subjunctive, expressing an inclination in a conditional form. (= Ger. könnte.)

1658–9.  Col. White, in Burton, Diary (1828), IV. 39. I could like well that they should be in that House.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 121, ¶ 8. I could wish our Royal Society would compile a Body of Natural History.

1786.  Mrs. Inchbald, Such things are, in Brit. Theat. (1808), 14. I cou’d not think of leaving you so soon.

  8.  ellipt., with verb to be supplied from the context, or with do, make, come, get, etc., understood. Can or cannot away with: see AWAY 16. Cannot but: see BUT 7 c.

c. 1440.  Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), I. lxxii. I can wyth plente and I can wyth pouerte, I maye all in hym that strengthith me.

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom. (1879), 38. I am a seruaunt of yourys in all þat I can and may.

c. 1500.  Mayd Emlyn, in Anc. Poet. Tracts (1842), 27. He coude well awaye, With her lusty playe.

a. 1536.  Tindale, Pathw. Holy Script., Wks. I. 27. The more tangled art thou therein, and canst nowhere through.

1611.  Heywood, Gold. Age, II. i. Wks. 1874, III. 19. What cannot womens wits? they wonders can When they intend to blinde the eyes of man.

1678.  Dryden, All for Love, I. i. (1692), 2 (J.). Mecænas and Agrippa, who can most With Cæsar are his Foes.

1715.  De Foe, Fam. Instruct., I. iii. (1841), I. 63. I will do all I can with them.

1718.  Pope, Iliad, XIII. 987. What with this arm I can, prepare to know.

1719.  Young, Busiris, III. i. (1757), 53. What could your malice more?

1807.  Sir R. Wilson, in Life (1862), II. viii. 374. I could no more. I was really exhausted.

1869.  J. Martineau, Ess., II. 394. Whoever can and will may join the procession.

  b.  Cards. Can-ye, can-you: see CAN-YOU.

  III.  Senses now written CON.

  † 9.  To get to know; to learn, study. Obs. In this sense it was also treated as a weak vb. with pa. pple. cand: the variant con was at length established as a separate form, with weak inflexions (cons, conned): see CON v.

1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 107. A man þat myȝte me wissen For to conne my crede.

1528.  More, Dial. Heresyes, I. Wks. 111/1. He laboured … to can many textes thereof by harte.

1530.  Palsgr., 93. If the lernar can perfitly these two exemples.

1563.  Mirr. Mag., Blacksm., xviii. 7. So fare they all that have not vertue cand.

1587.  Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 982/1. They had cand their lesson.

  † 10.  To can or con thank(s: to express or offer thanks, to thank: app. originally ‘to acknowledge’ or ‘recognize’ one’s gratitude. [ME. thank cunne(n, OE. þonc cunnan, = þonc witan, in OS. thank witan, OHG. thank wiȥan. Cf. also Gr. χάριν εἰδέναι, (L. gratias meminisse), It. saper grado, Pr. saver grat, F. savoir gré, whence also in ME. to cunne gree, maulgre, to express one’s satisfaction or displeasure. These phrases were distinctly identified with can, could as late as 1525. But on the other hand, already in ME., the verb was often imagined to be different, and inflected as a weak vb. can or cunn (whence cannes, canned; cunnest, cunnes, cunneth, cunned) and in later times generally con (connest, cons, conned), rarely ken. See CON: the examples that follow illustrate its original form as belonging to can.]

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 31. Ne con crist him nenne þonc.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 14065. I can hir mikel thank.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 4400. I drede thou canst me gret maugre.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, xviii. 26. Yef he canne ani good, thanne he wille cunne her moche thanke. Ibid. (1483), Gold. Leg., 364/4. The ladyes … couthe her moche thanke.

1483.  Vulgaria abs Terentio, 9 b. My maister cowde me grete thanke.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxxiv. 294. The good lady … coude hym great thanke.

1533.  More, Apology, xii. Wks. 871/2. No man hath any cause to can him ani thank.

1545.  Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 31. Not onelye I … but many other mo … wyll can you very moche thanke.

1584.  R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., XII. xiv. 201. The smiths will canne them small thankes for this praier.

[1672—See CON.]

  ¶ The following examples show the tendency to make a separate vb. of it with regular inflexions. Some writers made it into gan, the converse of the change in CAN v.²

1534.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., II. Wks. 1210/1. Els would Christe haue canned her much more thanke.

1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 110 b. I allowe hym and gan hym thanke. Ibid., 248 a. Augustus … after gannyng hym thanke, commaunded [etc.].

1566.  Drant, Horace’s Sat. I. i. E vij b. And cannes me litle thankes.

  IV.  ¶ Can, cannot, can be, can do, may for the nonce be used substantively in obvious senses.

1626.  W. Fenner, Hidden Manna (1652), 62. Hee hath still in every action more Can-does, then Wil-does.

1644.  Hunton, Vindic. Treat. Monarchy, vi. 51. Sure, by cannot, he understands fallaciously, as he useth to doe, a morall cannot.

1839.  Carlyle, Chartism, iii. 124. Let a man honour his craftsman, his can-do. Ibid., v. (1858), 25. How can do, if we will well interpret it, unites itself with shall-do among mortals; how strength acts ever as the right-arm of justice.

  ¶ See also CAN-YOU.