Obs. [f. ENABLE v. + -MENT.] The action or means of enabling.
1. Habilitation, removal of legal disabilities.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 40 § 4. This acte of enhablement and restitucion of Thomas Erle of Surrey.
1503–4. Act 19 Hen. VII., c. 23 § 1. The restitucions and enhablementes of the seid persones.
2. The process of rendering able, competent or powerful; the state of being so; concr. something by which one is enabled, a qualification.
1617. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. 36. Learning … hath … efficacie in inablement towards … military virtue.
1646. S. Bolton, Arraignm. Err., 219. Some truths may be said to be … for strength and enablement.
1647. Sprigge, Anglia Rediv., I. v. (1854), 35. Watson, (whose continued diligence … redounded not a little to the enablement of the army).
1656. R. Robinson, Christ all, 351. We haue spiritual enablement from Christ.
a. 1703. Burkitt, On N. T., Matt. xvii. 2 (1739), 46/2. Those whom God singles out for the greatest Trials, he will fit beforehand with the best Enablements.
b. Support, sustenance, maintenance. rare.
1626. T. H[awkins], trans. Caussin’s Holy Crt., 368. Others distributed their reuenew in equall portions to Churches, needy persons, & their owne enablement. Ibid., 500. So much of my Fathers goods (which was meane inough, yet for my enablement sufficient).
3. An equipment, implement. Cf. ENABLE v. 3.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 64. Armours Defensives, as … Crosbowes and other enbabilmentis of Werres.
