Can vs. Could

By Jaxson

  • 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.

Wiktionary
  • 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”

Oxford Dictionary

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