Can (verb)
To know how to; to be able to.
“She can speak English, French, and German.”
“I can play football.”
“Can you remember your fifth birthday?”
Can (verb)
May; to be permitted or enabled to.
“You can go outside and play when you’re finished with your homework.”
“Can I use your pen?”
Can (verb)
To have the potential to; be possible.
“Can it be Friday already?”
“Teenagers can really try their parents’ patience.”
“Animals can experience emotions.”
Can (verb)
(auxiliary verb, defective) Used with verbs of perception.
Can (verb)
To seal in a can.
“They canned air to sell as a novelty to tourists.”
Can (verb)
To preserve by heating and sealing in a jar or can.
“They spent August canning fruit and vegetables.”
Can (verb)
To discard, scrap or terminate (an idea, project, etc.).
“He canned the whole project because he thought it would fail.”
Can (verb)
To shut up.
“Can your gob.”
Can (verb)
To fire or dismiss an employee.
“The boss canned him for speaking out.”
Can (noun)
A more or less cylindrical vessel for liquids, usually of steel or aluminium, but sometimes of plastic, and with a carrying handle over the top.
Can (noun)
A container used to carry and dispense water for plants (a watering can).
Can (noun)
A tin-plate canister, often cylindrical, for preserved foods such as fruit, meat, or fish.
Can (noun)
A chamber pot, now a toilet or lavatory.
“Shit or get off the can.”
“Bob’s in the can. You can wait a few minutes or just leave it with me.”
Can (noun)
Buttocks.
Can (noun)
Jail or prison.
“Bob’s in the can. He won’t be back for a few years.”
Can (noun)
Headphones.
Can (noun)
A drinking cup.
Can (noun)
A cube-shaped buoy or marker used to denote a port-side lateral mark
Can (noun)
A chimney pot.
Could (verb)
conditional of can
Could (verb)
Used as a past subjunctive (contrary to fact).
“I think he could do it if he really wanted to.”
“I wish I could fly!”
Could (verb)
Used to politely ask for permission to do something.
“Could I borrow your coat?”
Could (verb)
Used to politely ask for someone else to do something.
“Could you proofread this email?”
Could (verb)
Used to show the possibility that something might happen.
“We could rearrange the time if you like.”
Could (noun)
Something that could happen, or could be the case, under different circumstances; a potentiality.
Can (verb)
be able to
“he can’t afford it”
“they can run fast”
“I could hear footsteps”
Can (verb)
be able to through acquired knowledge or skill
“I can speak Italian”
Can (verb)
have the opportunity or possibility to
“there are many ways holidaymakers can take money abroad”
Can (verb)
used to express doubt or surprise about the possibility of something’s being the case
“where can she have gone?”
“he can’t have finished”
Can (verb)
used to indicate that something is typically the case
“he could be very moody”
“antique clocks can seem out of place in modern homes”
Can (verb)
be permitted to
“you can use the phone if you want to”
“nobody could legally drink on the premises”
Can (verb)
used to request someone to do something
“can you open the window?”
“can’t you leave me alone?”
Can (verb)
used to make a suggestion or offer
“we can have another drink if you like”
Can (verb)
preserve (food) in a can
“sardines and anchovies are worth the extra money if canned in olive oil”
Can (verb)
dismiss from a job
“he was canned because of a tiff over promotion”
Can (verb)
reject as inadequate
“they canned the project”
Can (noun)
a cylindrical metal container
“a can of paint”
“a petrol can”
Can (noun)
a small steel or aluminium container in which food or drink is hermetically sealed for storage over long periods
“a beer can”
Can (noun)
the quantity of food or drink held by a can
“he drank two cans of lager”
Can (noun)
prison
“our friends will get a year or two in the can”
Can (noun)
the toilet
“she walks in and has to use the can”
Can (noun)
headphones.
Can (noun)
a woman’s breasts.
Could (verb)
past of can
Could (verb)
used to indicate possibility
“I would go if I could afford it”
“they could be right”
Could (verb)
used in making suggestions or polite requests
“could I use the phone?”
“you could always ring him up”
Could (verb)
used to indicate annoyance because of something that has not been done
“they could have told me!”
Could (verb)
used to indicate a strong inclination to do something
“he irritates me so much that I could scream”