From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcancan1 /kən; strong kæn/ ●●● S1 W1 modal verb (negative short form can’t) 1 CANability to be able to do something or to know how to do something You can swim, can’t you? Even a small personal computer can store vast amounts of information. Gabriella can speak French fluently. I’m afraid Mr Harding can’t see you now – he’s busy. The police are doing all they can to find her.2 requesting spokenASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO something used to ask someone to do something or give you something Can I have a drink, please? Can you help me lift this box?3 LET/ALLOWallowed to be allowed to do something or to have the right or power to do something You can’t park here – it’s a no parking zone. ‘Can we go home now?’ ‘No we can’t.’ A police officer can insist on seeing a driver’s license.4 POSSIBLEpossibility used to say that something is possible I am confident a solution can be found. There can be no doubt that he is guilty. The boxes can be stored flat. Can he still be alive after all this time?5 CANseeing/hearing etc used with the verbs ‘see’, ‘hear’, ‘feel’, ‘taste’, and ‘smell’, and with verbs connected with thinking, to mean that someone sees something, hears something etc Here they are – I can see their car. Can you smell something burning? I can’t understand why you’re so upset. He can’t remember where he put the tickets. 6 not true [in negatives] used to say that you do not believe that something is true This can’t be the right road. It can’t be easy caring for someone else’s children. 7 should not [in questions and negatives] used to say that someone should not or must not do something You can’t expect the world to change overnight. We can’t go on like this. Jill’s left her husband, but can you blame her after the way he treated her?8 SURPRISEDsurprise/anger [usually in questions and negatives] spoken used when you are surprised or angry You can’t be serious! They can’t have arrived already, surely! How can you be so stupid!9 SOMETIMESsometimes used to say what sometimes happens or how someone sometimes behaves It can be quite cold here at night. Peter can be really annoying.10 MUSTgiving orders spoken used to tell someone in an angry way to do something And you can stop that quarrelling, the pair of you. If you won’t keep quiet, you can get out.11 → no can doTHESAURUSto be able to do somethingcan do something to have the ability, opportunity, time, or equipment that you need in order to do something. Could is used as the past form, and is also used to say what is or may be possible‘I don’t think Mike can drive.’ ‘Yes, he can.’He can run faster than me.Can you see the TV, or should I move?This program can translate your e-mail into other languages.How many hamburgers do you think you can eat?Adrian could read when he was four.If we had a boat we could row across to the island.Why didn’t they ask me? I could have done it for them for half the price.She could win.be able to do something used when talking about ability or success in the past or ability in the future, or when you need to use an infinitive. It is also used instead of can in more formal EnglishI was able to get a good job (=I got one).Will you be able to carry those bags on your own?If you want to join the expedition, you must be able to speak Spanish.The young birds are now able to fly.be capable of something to have the ability, energy, or qualities needed to do something, especially something very difficult or unusual – use this about people or machinesShe’s perfectly capable (=completely capable) of dealing with the situation.The car is capable of a top speed of 200 mph.No one thought he was capable of murder.have the ability to do something to be able to do something, especially something that is unusual or that most people cannot doShe seemed to have the ability to make people do anything she wanted.I believe the team definitely has the ability to win the championship.be in a position to do something to be able to do something because you have enough knowledge, power, money, or equipment to do itWe will have to run more tests before we are in a position to say whether the document is authentic or not.They expect be in a position to begin construction within two years.manage to do something to succeed in doing something difficult, especially after trying very hardHe finally managed to find an apartment near his office.At least three of the hostages managed to escape.to be unable to do somethingcan’t/cannot do something to be unable to do something because you do not have the ability, opportunity, time, or equipment that you need. Couldn’t/could not is used as the past formLouise can’t see anything without her glasses.He couldn’t remember where he had left the car.‘Will you help me move this?’ ‘I’m sorry, I can’t – my back’s still giving me trouble.’I couldn’t have done it without your help.I could never have climbed that ridge – I’m too out of shape.Scientists still cannot explain exactly how the virus reproduces.Sarah could not understand why anyone would want to hurt her.not be able to do something used when talking about inability in the past or the future, when you need to use an infinitive, and in more formal EnglishUnfortunately, I wasn’t able to help them.I don’t think I’ll be able to come to the meeting after all.The doctor told Tina she wouldn’t be able to have children.I’ve looked all over the house but I haven’t been able to find my keys anywhere.be unable to do something especially written to not be able to do something, especially something important that you want to do or need to doHe was unable to sleep and lay awake all night.Many passengers were unable to reach the lifeboats in time.not be in a position to do something (also be in no position to do something) formal to not be able to do something because you do not have enough knowledge, power, money, or equipment to do itI’m afraid I’m not in a position to answer your questions.Having committed military force there, America is in no position to repeat this strategy elsewhere.not be capable of something (also be incapable of something) to not have the physical strength or mental ability to do something – often used when criticizing someoneMy son seems to be incapable of keeping a job.She’s not capable of looking after herself anymore.Her father was a man who was utterly incapable of pity or sympathy.GRAMMAR: Patterns with can• Like other modal verbs, you use can before the base form of the main verb (=the infinitive without ‘to’): We can hear the birds singing. You can go home now.Sharks can be dangerous. ✗Don’t say: We can to go home. | We can going home. • The past tense of can is could: We could hear the birds singing.The teacher said we could go home. • You also use was/were able to when talking about the ability to do something in the past, especially something that was difficult: He was able to walk a few steps. • In questions you say Can I/he/she etc: Can we go home?• In negatives you say can’t (spoken) or cannot (written): I can’t hear you! He cannot leave prison. • You also use is/are unable to when saying that someone does not have the ability to do something: He is unable to walk. 
Da metal container in which food or drink is preserved without air a Coke cancan of All we’ve got is a couple of cans of soup.2 TDa special metal container that keeps the liquid inside it under pressure. The liquid is released as a spray when you press the buttoncan of a can of hairspray3 especially American EnglishD a metal container with a lid that can be removed, used for holding liquid Two large cans of paint ought to be enough.4 → can of worms5 → in the can6 → the can7 → cans → carry the can at carry1(26)
Examples from the Corpus
can• The police still haven't found her but they're doing all they can.• That kind of plastic can be molded into any shape.• He can be such a jerk sometimes.• I'm sure we can finish in time.• The word "bill" can have several different meanings.• Can I have the check, please?• If you don't want to learn, you can leave right now.• There's hardly any traffic and you can really go fast.• Jean can speak French fluently.• That's really nice of you, but I really can't accept it.• That can't be right.• I can't swim.• In soccer, you can't touch the ball with your hands.• If you have a complaint, you can talk to the manager.• Oh, I can taste the lemon grass!• I told her she can watch TV till bedtime.• Can we turn the air conditioner on?• Sure she's mad, can you blame her?• Can you hear all right in the back row?ldoce_041_ecancan2 /kæn/ ●●● S2 noun [countable] 1 Da metal container in which food or drink is preserved without air a Coke cancan of All we’ve got is a couple of cans of soup.2 TDa special metal container that keeps the liquid inside it under pressure. The liquid is released as a spray when you press the buttoncan of a can of hairspray3 especially American EnglishD a metal container with a lid that can be removed, used for holding liquid Two large cans of paint ought to be enough.4 → can of worms5 → in the can6 → the can7 → cans → carry the can at carry1(26)Examples from the Corpus
can• He ostentatiously orders a can of Worthington with his lunch, to show where his sympathies lie.• Rachaela put the portions into a dish and upended a can of Heinz tomato soup over them to make a casserole.• a can of deodorant• soft drink cans• She was carrying an armful of cat-food cans and smirking to herself.• You'll need three large cans of paint.• We are conserving our resources for we are down to our last few candles and have only one can of paraffin left.• I could scour the trash cans!• Four pilots, each holding an unopened can of beer, marched around the bunker.can of• a can of tuna fishcancan3 verb (canned, canning) [transitive] American English 1 DFto preserve food by putting it into a metal container from which all the air is removed SYN tin British English → canned2 LEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION informal to dismiss someone from a job SYN sack3 → can it!→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
can• As long as you live in my house I can.• I kept saying, ` I think I can.• It is in our vital interest to do it as properly and as thoroughly as we can.• Scripts in different windows, meanwhile, can access each others' variables and objects, and even call remote functions.• Thus many Great Groups are fueled by an invigorating, completely unrealistic view of what they can accomplish.• Did you hear that they canned Linda?• Only after long and painful work on oneself can that chief feature be at last revealed.• And cable operators are doing all they can to get the government to prevent phone companies from carrying video programming.• These parents want to do all they can to help, so they develop schemes to ensure that homework is completed.Origin can1 Old English cunnan can2 Old English canne 