v. Forms: 5–6 enhable, -bel, 6 enhabile, inhable, -bile, 6–8 inable, 5– enable. [f. EN-1 + -ABLE a.: cf. ABLE v.]
† 1. To invest with legal status; to habilitate.
1491. Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 20. Preamb., It was ordeyned … that … Lord Roos and his heires shuld be restored, enhabled and have all suche name, dignite, estate, preeminence.
1558. in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. II. App. v. 7. Your Highness shall be from henceforth enabled in Blood.
1570–87. Holinshed, Scot. Chron. (1806), I. 199. Constantine … was … inabled as heire apparent to the crowne.
1615. Wadsworth, in Bedell, Lett. (1624), 10–1. The passions which first moued King Henrie … to disinherite Queene Mary, and enable Queene Elizabeth.
1622. Callis, Stat. Sewers (1647), 193. Neither do the goods of the Church inable the Parson, Vicar or Curate.
1721. Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. I. xvi. 130. She was restored and enabled in blood.
2. To authorize, sanction, empower; to give legal power or license to. Const. to with inf.
1526. Househ. Ord., 217. If the purveyor shall enable the Beer or Ale to be sent to the Court.
1535. Act 27 Hen. VIII., c. 10 § 6. She shall be … inhabeled to pursue haue and demaunde her dower.
1642. Milton, Argt. Militia, 11. The Law will inable the two Houses of Parliament to put the Kingdome into a posture of warre.
1745. in Col. Rec. Pennsylv., V. 32. An ‘act to enable Jeremiah Langhorn … to build a Court House in the County of Bucks.’
1824. Marshall, Constit. Opin. (1839), 303. Congress cannot enable a state to legislate.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 224. An act was also passed enabling beneficed clergymen who had fled from Ireland to hold preferment in England.
† 3. To give power to (a person); to strengthen, make adequate or proficient. Obs. or arch.
1530. Palsgr., 532/1. I enable, I make good.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), E vj. Now ye can enable his fleshe in good customes.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xli. (1887), 232. Exercise to enable the body.
1596. Spenser, Irel., Wks. (1862), 523. The English Lords … greatly encouraged and inabled the Irish.
1626. T. H[awkins], trans. Caussin’s Holy Crt., 496. Her Father … enabled her in Philosophy, Rhetorique, Poesy, and the other Artes.
1638. O. Sedgwicke, Serm., 97. By diligent practise so inable your selves, that [etc.].
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 208. The devils indeed have a faculty, and sagacity (both much enabled by long experience in things) above us men.
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 20 Dec., 6/1. Is it Irish stew? which is said to be very enabling as well as extremely ‘filling.’
b. To impart to (a person or agent) power necessary or adequate for a given object; to make competent or capable. Const. for, to, unto. rare in mod. use.
c. 1460. Stans Puer, in Babees Bk. (1868), 26. First thiself enable With all thin herte to vertuous disciplyne.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 19. Euery thing … being inhabled therunto through a quickening vertue infused into it.
1613. Life Will. Conq., in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793), 10/1. The people … were well enabled, both with courage and skill, for all military atchievements.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angels, 154. It was all that Alexander had to inable him to the conquest of the world.
1705. Stanhope, Paraph., III. 2. The great things, our Blessed Saviour hath done … are not intended to excuse his Followers from Action, but to enable them for it.
1853. Ruskin, Stones Ven., III. ii. § 26. 50. How much of it will enable us best for our work.
c. To supply with the requisite means or opportunities to an end or for an object. Const. to with inf.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. iii. Vertue and lernynge do inhabile a man … to be thought worthy.
1597. I. T., Serm. Paules Crosse, 33. God hath inhabled them to doe that great and weightie worke of the Euangelist.
1611. Bible, Pref., 1. We are enabled to informe and reforme others.
1650. Baxter, Saints’ R., I. vii. (1662), 74. They … freely send the Spirit to inable us to perform these conditions.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, III. 218. A new Recruit of Spirits … inabled me to resume my Pen.
1770. Wesley, Serm., lvi. Wks. 1811, IX. 2. God enabled him to awaken several young persons.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, V. 281. A victory which he obtained over the Thebans enabled him to reduce Coronea.
1872. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 51. A solitude … which enabled him to work better there.
† 4. To regard as qualified or competent; to ascribe qualifications to. Obs. (Cf. disable in Shaks. A. Y. L. V. iv. 80.)
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 72. Euery one enhableth his owne goodes to deserve like dignitie with the beste.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, I vj. That you may … be resolv’d what those good parts are you enable the Doctor for.
† 5. To make possible or easy; also to give effectiveness to (an action). Obs.
1640. O. Sedgwicke, Christ’s Counsell, 198. There are sixe things which will much availe to helpe and inable the remembrance of truths heard and received.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1703), II. VII. 331–2. Needful habiliments of War to enable our Defence.
1676. Hale, Contempl., I. 167. What are those divine truths which being really and soundly believed doth enable the victory over the World.
† 6. intr. for refl. To become able, gain strength or power. Obs. rare–1.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 834. With stamped squylle embawme … And thai wol soone enable in that jointe.
