"can't" meaning in English

See can't in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /kɑːnt/, [kɑːnt] [General-South-African, Received-Pronunciation, Southern-England], [kɑːnt] [Northern-England, Wales], [käːnt] [Northern-England, Wales], [kɐːnt] [General-Australian, New-Zealand], [kaːɳʈ] [India], [kaːnt] [Ireland], [kɑnt] (note: some US speakers), /kænt/, [kænt~kɛənt~keənt] [Canada, General-American], /kæn(ʔ)/ [Canada, General-American], /kɛənt/ (note: New York City, New Orelans, Philadelphia, Baltimore), [käːnt] [Northern-Ireland, Scotland], /keɪnt/, [kʰẽɪ̃nt] [Southern-US], [kʰẽɪ̃n(ʔ)] [Southern-US] Audio: En-uk-can't.ogg , en-au-can't.ogg , LL-Q1860 (eng)-Halum Halum-can't.wav , En-us-can't.ogg , en-US-southern-dialectical-can't.ogg
enPR: känt, kănt, kānt Rhymes: -ɑːnt, -ænt, -eɪnt Etymology: From can + -n't, since 1706 or earlier. Etymology templates: {{af|en|can|-n't}} can + -n't Head templates: {{head|en|verb form}} can't
  1. Cannot (negative auxiliary); is unable to; does not have the ability to.
    Sense id: en-can't-en-verb-v9sySDPD
  2. Is forbidden to; is not permitted to.
    Sense id: en-can't-en-verb-5mV8exb8
  3. Often followed by be: is logically impossible.
    Sense id: en-can't-en-verb-KUCTuux9 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -n't, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 22 5 73 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -n't: 27 13 60 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 12 6 82 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 9 5 86
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: ca'n't [obsolete], cain't [Southern-US, dialectal] Derived forms: Republicant, you can't say fairer than that Coordinate_terms: couldn't, mayn't, mightn't, oughtn't, shan't, shouldn't, won't, wouldn't

Alternative forms

{
  "coordinate_terms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "couldn't"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "mayn't"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "mightn't"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "oughtn't"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "shan't"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "shouldn't"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "won't"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "wouldn't"
    }
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "Republicant"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "you can't say fairer than that"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "can",
        "3": "-n't"
      },
      "expansion": "can + -n't",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From can + -n't, since 1706 or earlier.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb form"
      },
      "expansion": "can't",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "be able to"
        },
        {
          "word": "can"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I can’t quite get it to work.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Tuchanka:",
          "text": "Shepard: Mordin, walk away.\nMordin: Can't do that, Shepard.\nShepard: I don't have a choice here. Walk away, or I will fire.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Cannot (negative auxiliary); is unable to; does not have the ability to."
      ],
      "id": "en-can't-en-verb-v9sySDPD",
      "links": [
        [
          "Cannot",
          "cannot"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "be able to"
        },
        {
          "word": "can"
        },
        {
          "word": "have to"
        },
        {
          "word": "must"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "You can’t enter the hall without a ticket.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Is forbidden to; is not permitted to."
      ],
      "id": "en-can't-en-verb-5mV8exb8",
      "links": [
        [
          "forbid",
          "forbid"
        ],
        [
          "permit",
          "permit"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "be able to"
        },
        {
          "word": "can"
        },
        {
          "word": "have to"
        },
        {
          "word": "must"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "22 5 73",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "27 13 60",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -n't",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 6 82",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 5 86",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The butler can’t be the murderer because he was in London that evening.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1750, W[illiam] Ellis, The Country Housewife's Family Companion: Or Profitable Directions for Whatever Relates to the Management and Good Œconomy of the Domestick Concerns of a Country Life, According to the Present Practice of the Country Gentleman's, the Yeoman's, the Farmer's, &c. Wives, in the Counties of Hertford, Bucks, and Other Parts of England: Shewing how Great Savings may be Made in Housekeeping: … With Variety of Curious Matters … The Whole Founded on Near Thirty Years Experience, London: Printed for James Hodges, at the Looking-glass, facing St. Magnus Church, London-Bridge; and B. Collins, bookseller, at Salisbury, →OCLC, page 157:",
          "text": "To make Capons […] [S]ome for this Purpoſe make it their Buſineſs after Harveſt-time to go to Markets for buying up Chickens, and between Michaelmas and All-hollantide caponize the Cocks, when they have got large enough to have Stones [i.e., testes] of ſuch a Bigneſs that they may be pulled out; for if they are too little, it can't be done; […]",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Often followed by be: is logically impossible."
      ],
      "id": "en-can't-en-verb-KUCTuux9",
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be"
        ],
        [
          "impossible",
          "impossible"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "känt"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kɑːnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kɑːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "General-South-African",
        "Received-Pronunciation",
        "Southern-England"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-can't.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/En-uk-can%27t.ogg/En-uk-can%27t.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/En-uk-can%27t.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kɑːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "Northern-England",
        "Wales"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[käːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "Northern-England",
        "Wales"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kɐːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian",
        "New-Zealand"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-can't.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/15/En-au-can%27t.ogg/En-au-can%27t.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/En-au-can%27t.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kaːɳʈ]",
      "tags": [
        "India"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Halum Halum-can't.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/03/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Halum_Halum-can%27t.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Halum_Halum-can%27t.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/03/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Halum_Halum-can%27t.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Halum_Halum-can%27t.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kaːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "Ireland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kɑnt]",
      "note": "some US speakers"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑːnt"
    },
    {
      "enpr": "kănt"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kænt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kænt~kɛənt~keənt]",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kæn(ʔ)/",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-can't.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/En-us-can%27t.ogg/En-us-can%27t.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/En-us-can%27t.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kɛənt/",
      "note": "New York City, New Orelans, Philadelphia, Baltimore"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[käːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "Northern-Ireland",
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "homophone": "cant"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "Kant stripped-by-parse_pron_post_template_fn"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ænt"
    },
    {
      "enpr": "kānt"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/keɪnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kʰẽɪ̃nt]",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kʰẽɪ̃n(ʔ)]",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-US-southern-dialectical-can't.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/40/En-US-southern-dialectical-can%27t.ogg/En-US-southern-dialectical-can%27t.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/En-US-southern-dialectical-can%27t.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-eɪnt"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "word": "ca'n't"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-US",
        "dialectal"
      ],
      "word": "cain't"
    }
  ],
  "word": "can't"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English auxiliary verb forms",
    "English contractions",
    "English defective verbs",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English non-lemma forms",
    "English terms suffixed with -n't",
    "English terms with homophones",
    "English verb forms",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/eɪnt",
    "Rhymes:English/ænt",
    "Rhymes:English/ænt/1 syllable",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑːnt",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑːnt/1 syllable"
  ],
  "coordinate_terms": [
    {
      "word": "couldn't"
    },
    {
      "word": "mayn't"
    },
    {
      "word": "mightn't"
    },
    {
      "word": "oughtn't"
    },
    {
      "word": "shan't"
    },
    {
      "word": "shouldn't"
    },
    {
      "word": "won't"
    },
    {
      "word": "wouldn't"
    }
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "Republicant"
    },
    {
      "word": "you can't say fairer than that"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "can",
        "3": "-n't"
      },
      "expansion": "can + -n't",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From can + -n't, since 1706 or earlier.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb form"
      },
      "expansion": "can't",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "be able to"
        },
        {
          "word": "can"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I can’t quite get it to work.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Tuchanka:",
          "text": "Shepard: Mordin, walk away.\nMordin: Can't do that, Shepard.\nShepard: I don't have a choice here. Walk away, or I will fire.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Cannot (negative auxiliary); is unable to; does not have the ability to."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Cannot",
          "cannot"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "be able to"
        },
        {
          "word": "can"
        },
        {
          "word": "have to"
        },
        {
          "word": "must"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "You can’t enter the hall without a ticket.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Is forbidden to; is not permitted to."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "forbid",
          "forbid"
        ],
        [
          "permit",
          "permit"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "be able to"
        },
        {
          "word": "can"
        },
        {
          "word": "have to"
        },
        {
          "word": "must"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The butler can’t be the murderer because he was in London that evening.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1750, W[illiam] Ellis, The Country Housewife's Family Companion: Or Profitable Directions for Whatever Relates to the Management and Good Œconomy of the Domestick Concerns of a Country Life, According to the Present Practice of the Country Gentleman's, the Yeoman's, the Farmer's, &c. Wives, in the Counties of Hertford, Bucks, and Other Parts of England: Shewing how Great Savings may be Made in Housekeeping: … With Variety of Curious Matters … The Whole Founded on Near Thirty Years Experience, London: Printed for James Hodges, at the Looking-glass, facing St. Magnus Church, London-Bridge; and B. Collins, bookseller, at Salisbury, →OCLC, page 157:",
          "text": "To make Capons […] [S]ome for this Purpoſe make it their Buſineſs after Harveſt-time to go to Markets for buying up Chickens, and between Michaelmas and All-hollantide caponize the Cocks, when they have got large enough to have Stones [i.e., testes] of ſuch a Bigneſs that they may be pulled out; for if they are too little, it can't be done; […]",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Often followed by be: is logically impossible."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be"
        ],
        [
          "impossible",
          "impossible"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "känt"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kɑːnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kɑːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "General-South-African",
        "Received-Pronunciation",
        "Southern-England"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-can't.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/En-uk-can%27t.ogg/En-uk-can%27t.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/En-uk-can%27t.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kɑːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "Northern-England",
        "Wales"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[käːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "Northern-England",
        "Wales"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kɐːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian",
        "New-Zealand"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-can't.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/15/En-au-can%27t.ogg/En-au-can%27t.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/En-au-can%27t.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kaːɳʈ]",
      "tags": [
        "India"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Halum Halum-can't.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/03/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Halum_Halum-can%27t.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Halum_Halum-can%27t.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/03/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Halum_Halum-can%27t.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Halum_Halum-can%27t.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kaːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "Ireland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kɑnt]",
      "note": "some US speakers"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑːnt"
    },
    {
      "enpr": "kănt"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kænt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kænt~kɛənt~keənt]",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kæn(ʔ)/",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-can't.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/En-us-can%27t.ogg/En-us-can%27t.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/En-us-can%27t.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kɛənt/",
      "note": "New York City, New Orelans, Philadelphia, Baltimore"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[käːnt]",
      "tags": [
        "Northern-Ireland",
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "homophone": "cant"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "Kant stripped-by-parse_pron_post_template_fn"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ænt"
    },
    {
      "enpr": "kānt"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/keɪnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kʰẽɪ̃nt]",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[kʰẽɪ̃n(ʔ)]",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-US-southern-dialectical-can't.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/40/En-US-southern-dialectical-can%27t.ogg/En-US-southern-dialectical-can%27t.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/En-US-southern-dialectical-can%27t.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-eɪnt"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "word": "ca'n't"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Southern-US",
        "dialectal"
      ],
      "word": "cain't"
    }
  ],
  "word": "can't"
}

Download raw JSONL data for can't meaning in English (6.0kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.