SG Heritage Dictionary

Ability [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Physical power, whether bodily or mental; natural or acquired; force of understanding; skill in arts or science. ability is active power, or power to perform; as opposed to capacity, or power to receive. In the plural, abilities is much used in a like sense; and also for faculties of the mind, and acquired qualifications.

2. Riches, wealth, substance, which are the means, or which furnish the power, of doing certain acts.

3. They gave after their ability to the work. Ezra 2:69 .

4. Moral power, depending on the will - a metaphysical and theological sense.

5. Civil or legal power, the power or right to do certain things, as an ability to transfer property or dispose of effects - ability to inherit. It is opposed to disability.

Ability [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

The quality or state of being able; power to perform, whether physical, moral, intellectual, conventional, or legal; capacity; skill or competence in doing; sufficiency of strength, skill, resources, etc.; -- in the plural, faculty, talent.

Power Roget’s Thesaurus §157

N. power, potency, potentiality, jiva, puissance, might, force, energy, dint, right hand, right arm, ascendency, sway, control, prepotency, prepollence|, almightiness, omnipotence, authority, strength, ability, ableness, competency, efficacy, efficiency, productivity, expertise (skill) 698, validity, cogency, enablement, vantage ground, influence, pressure, conductivity, elasticity, gravity, electricity, magnetism, galvanism, voltaic electricity, voltaism, electromagnetism, atomic power, nuclear power, thermonuclear power, fuel cell, hydraulic power, water power, hydroelectric power, solar power, solar energy, solar panels, tidal power, wind power, attraction, vis inertiae, vis mortua, vis viva, potential energy, dynamic energy, dynamic friction, dynamic suction, live circuit, live rail, live wire, capability, capacity, quid valeant humeri quid ferre recusent, faculty, quality, attribute, endowment, virtue, gift, property, qualification, susceptibility

V. be powerful, gain power, belong to, pertain to, lie in one's power, be in one's power, can, be able, give power, confer power, exercise power, empower, enable, invest, indue, endue, endow, arm, strengthen, compel

Adj. powerful, puissant, potential, capable, able, equal to, up to, cogent, valid, efficient, productive, effective, effectual, efficacious, adequate, competent, multipotent, plenipotent, omnipotent, almighty, forcible, (energetic) 171, influential, productive

Adv. powerfully, by virtue of, by dint of

Phr. a toute force, δός μοι ποῦ στῶ καὶ κινῶ τὴν γῆν, eripuit cœlo fulmen sceptrumque tyrannis, fortis cadere cedere non potest

Intellect Roget’s Thesaurus §450

N. intellect, mind, understanding, reason, thinking principle, rationality, cogitative faculties, cognitive faculties, discursive faculties, reasoning faculties, intellectual faculties, faculties, senses, consciousness, observation, percipience, intelligence, intellection, intuition, association of ideas, instinct, conception, judgment, wits, parts, capacity, intellectuality, genius, brains, cognitive powers, intellectual powers, wit, ability, wisdom, vernunft, verstand, soul, spirit, ghost, inner man, heart, breast, bosom, penetralia mentis, divina particula aurae, heart's core, the absolute, psyche, subliminal consciousness, supreme principle, brain, organ of thought, seat of thought, sensorium, sensory, head, headpiece, pate, noddle, noggin, skull, scull, pericranium, cerebrum, cranium, brainpan, sconce, upper story, central processing unit, cpu, arithmetic and logical unit, alu, metaphysics, psychics, psychology, ideology, mental philosophy, moral philosophy, philosophy of the mind, pneumatology, phrenology, craniology, cranioscopy, ideality, idealism, transcendentalism, spiritualism, immateriality, universal concept, universal conception, metaphysician, psychologist &c

V. note, notice, mark, take notice of, take cognizance of be aware of, be conscious of, realize, appreciate, ruminate, fancy

Adj. intellectual, mental, rational, subjective, metaphysical, nooscopic, spiritual, ghostly, psychical, psychological, cerebral, animastic, brainy, hyperphysical, superphysical, subconscious, subliminal, immaterial, endowed with reason

Adv. in petto

Phr. ens rationis, frons est animi janua, locos y ninos dicen la verdad, mens sola loco non exulat, "my mind is my kingdom", "stern men with empires in their brains", "the mind, the music breathing from her face", "thou living ray of intellectual fire"

Skill Roget’s Thesaurus §698

N. skill, skillfulness, address, dexterity, dexterousness, adroitness, expertness, proficiency, competence, technical competence, craft, callidity, facility, knack, trick, sleight, mastery, mastership, excellence, panurgy, ambidexterity, ambidextrousness, sleight of hand, seamanship, airmanship, marksmanship, horsemanship, rope-dancing, accomplishment, acquirement, attainment, art, science, technicality, technology, practical knowledge, technical knowledge, knowledge of the world, world wisdom, savoir faire, tact, mother wit, discretion &c. *(caution) 864, finesse, craftiness, management, self-help, cleverness, talent, ability, ingenuity, capacity, parts, talents, faculty, endowment, forte, turn, gift, genius, intelligence, sharpness, readiness, invention, aptness, aptitude, turn for, capacity for, genius for, felicity, capability, curiosa felicitas, qualification, habilitation, proficient, masterpiece, coup de maitre, chef d'euvre, tour de force, good stroke

V. be skillful, excel in, be master of, have a turn for, know what's what, know a hawk from a handsaw, know what one is about, know on which side one's bread is buttered, know what's o'clock, have cut one's eye teeth, have cut one's wisdom teeth, see one's way, see where the wind lies, see which way the wind blows, have all one's wits about one, have one's hand in, savoir vivre, scire quid valeant humeri quid ferre recusent, look after the main chance, cut one's coat according to one's cloth, live by one's wits, exercise one's discretion, feather the oar, sail near the wind, stoop to conquer, play one's cards well, play one's best card, hit the right nail on the head, put the saddle on the right horse, take advantage of, make the most of, profit by &e, (use) 677, make a hit, make a virtue of necessity, make hay while the sun shines

Adj. skillful, dexterous, adroit, expert, apt, handy, quick, deft, ready, gain, slick, smart, proficient, good at, up to, at home in, master of, a good hand at, au fait, thoroughbred, masterly, crack, accomplished, conversant, experienced, practiced, skilled, hackneyed, up in, well up in, in practice, in proper cue, competent, efficient, qualified, capable, fitted, fit for, up to the mark, trained, initiated, prepared, primed, finished, clever, cute, able, ingenious, felicitous, gifted, talented, endowed, inventive, shrewd, sharp, on the ball, cunning, alive to, up to snuff, not to be caught with chaff, discreet, neat-handed, fine-fingered, nimble-fingered, ambidextrous, sure- footed, cut out for, fitted for, technical, artistic, scientific, daedalian, shipshape, workman- like, business-like, statesman-like

Adv. skillfully, well, artistically, with skill, with consummate skill, secundum artem, suo marte, to the best of one's abilities

Phr. ars celare artem, artes honorabit, celui qui veut celui-la peut, c'est une grande habilite que de savoir cacher sonhabilite, expertus metuit, es bildet ein talent sich in der stille sich ein charakter in dem strom der welt, "heart to conceive the understanding to direct, or the hand to execute", if you have lemons, make lemonade

King James Bible KJV Bible

Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible

13 KJV and 12 BSB verses contain “Ability” — showing the first 20. Show all 22 verses (searchable)

Exodus 31:3

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,

Exodus 35:31

And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,

Exodus 35:34

And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

And the LORD has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.

Exodus 36:1

Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.

“So Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person are to carry out everything commanded by the LORD, who has given them skill and ability to know how to perform all the work of constructing the sanctuary.”

Leviticus 27:8

But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.

But if the one making the vow is too poor to pay the valuation, he is to present the person before the priest, who shall set the value according to what the one making the vow can afford.

1 Chronicles 29:2

Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God—gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and slabs of marble—all in abundance.

Ezra 2:69

They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests garments.

According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly garments.

Nehemiah 5:8

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.

Daniel 1:4

Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

Daniel 5:12

Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”

Matthew 25:15

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.

Acts 11:29

Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:

So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

2 Corinthians 1:8

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

2 Corinthians 1:13

For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;

For we do not write you anything that is beyond your ability to read and understand. And I hope that you will understand us completely,

2 Corinthians 8:3

For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,

1 Peter 4:11

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

1 Esdras 5:44

And certain of the chief of their families, when they came to the temple of God that is in Jerusalem, vowed to set up the house again in his own place according to their ability,

Wisdom of Solomon 13:19

And for gaining and getting, and for good success of his hands, asketh ability to do of him, that is most unable to do any thing.

Sirach 11:12

Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate,

Sirach 14:11

My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, and give the Lord his due offering.