Can

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Can, n. [OE. & AS. canne; akin to D. Kan, G. Kanne, OHG. channa, Sw. Kanna, Dan. kande.].

•  A drinking cup; a vessel for holding liquids.  [Shak. ]  [1913 Webster]

  "Fill the cup and fill can,
  Have a rouse before the morn."  [1913 Webster]
•  A vessel or case of tinned iron or of sheet metal, of various forms, but usually cylindrical; as, a can of tomatoes; an oil can; a milk can.  [1913 Webster]

  " A can may be a cylinder open at the top, as for receiving the sliver from a carding machine, or with a removable cover or stopper, as for holding tea, spices, milk, oysters, etc., or with handle and spout, as for holding oil, or hermetically sealed, in canning meats, fruits, etc. The name is also sometimes given to the small glass or earthenware jar used in canning."  [1913 Webster]

Can, v. t. 

 To preserve by putting in sealed cans  W. D. Howells.  [1913 Webster]

Canned goods, a general name for fruit, vegetables, meat, or fish, preserved in hermetically sealed cans.

Can, v. t. & i. 

•  To know; to understand.  [1913 Webster]

  "[The transitive use is obsolete.]"

  "I can rimes of Rodin Hood."  [1913 Webster]

  "I can no Latin, quod she."  [1913 Webster]

  "Let the priest in surplice white,
  That defunctive music can."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be able to do; to have power or influence.  [1913 Webster]

  "The will of Him who all things can."  [1913 Webster]

  "For what, alas, can these my single arms?"  [1913 Webster]

  "Mæcænas and Agrippa, who can most with Cæsar."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be able; -- followed by an infinitive without to; as, I can go, but do not wish to.

  "Yet he could not but acknowledge to himself that there was something calculated to impress awe, . . . in the sudden appearances and vanishings . . . of the masque"  [1913 Webster]

  "Tom felt that this was a rebuff for him, and could not but understand it as a left-handed hit at his employer."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Can but, Can not but. It is an error to use the former of these phrases where the sens requires the latter. If we say, 'bdI can but perish if I go,'b8 'bdBut'b8 means only, and denotes that this is al

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Can, v.aux. (3rd sing. present can; past could) (foll. by infin. without to, or absol.; present and past only in use)
1 a be able to; know how to (I can run fast; can he?; can you speak German?). b be potentially capable of (you can do it if you try).
2 be permitted to (can we go to the party?).

Can, n. & v.
--n.
1 a metal vessel for liquid.
2 a tin container in which food or drink is hermetically sealed to enable storage over long periods.
3 (prec. by the) sl. a prison (sent to the can). b US lavatory.
--v.tr. (canned, canning)
1 put or preserve in a can.
2 record on film or tape for future use.

Idiom

can of worms colloq. a complicated problem. can-opener a device for opening cans (in sense 2 of n.). in the can colloq. completed, ready (orig. of filmed or recorded material).

Derivative

canner n.

Etymology

OE canne

THESAURUS

Can

Casanova, WC, arse, ass, ax, backhouse, backside, bag, barrel, basement, basket, bathroom, battleship, battlewagon, be able, be permitted, be up to, bedpan, behind, boot, boot out, bottle, bounce, box, box up, break, bum, bump, burden, bust, butt, calaboose, can do, capital ship, capsule, carton, case, cashier, cask, chamber, chamber pot, chaser, cheeks, chemical closet, chemical toilet, chokey, clink, closet, comfort station, commode, convenience, cooler, coop, crapper, crate, cut it, cut the mustard, defrock, degrade, demote, deplume, depose, deprive, derriere, destroyer, disbar, discharge, disemploy, dismiss, displace, displume, do up, drum out, earth closet, encase, encyst, expel, fanny, fill, fire, freight, fundament, furlough, give the ax, give the gate, hack it, hamper, have permission, head, heap, heap up, hind end, hoosegow, jar, jerry, john, johnny, johnny house, jordan, jug, keister, kick, kick out, kick upstairs, lade, lady-killer, latrine, lavatory, lay off, let go, let out, load, lockup, loo, make it, make redundant, make the grade, masher, mass, may, necessary, outhouse, pack, pack away, package, parcel, pen, pension off, philander, philanderer, pile, piss pot, pocket, pokey, possess authority, pot, potty, potty-chair, powder room, prat, prison, privy, put up, quod, read out of, release, remove, replace, rest room, retire, rusty-dusty, sack, separate forcibly, ship, slammer, stack, stern, stir, stool, store, stow, strip, superannuate, surplus, suspend, tail, take charge, tank, terminate, throne, thunder mug, tin, toilet, toilet room, tuchis, turn off, turn out, tush, tushy, unfrock, urinal, washroom, water closet, womanizer

ROGET THESAURUS

Can

Preservation

VB preserve, maintain, keep, sustain, support, hold, keep up, keep alive, refrigerate, keep on ice, not willingly let die, bank up, nurse, save, rescue, be safe, make safe, take care of, guard, stare super antiquas vias, hold one's own, hold one's ground, stand one's ground, embalm, cure, salt, pickle, season, kyanize, bottle, pot, tin, can, sterilize, pasteurize, radiate, dry, lyophilize, freeze- dry, concentrate, evaporate, freeze, quick-freeze, deep-freeze, husband.

Power

VB 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.

Receptacle

N receptacle, inclosure, recipient, receiver, reservatory, compartment, cell, cellule, follicle, hole, corner, niche, recess, nook, crypt, stall, pigeonhole, cove, oriel, cave, capsule, vesicle, cyst, pod, calyx, cancelli, utricle, bladder, pericarp, udder, stomach, paunch, venter, ventricle, crop, craw, maw, gizzard, breadbasket, mouth, pocket, pouch, fob, sheath, scabbard, socket, bag, sac, sack, saccule, wallet, cardcase, scrip, poke, knit, knapsack, haversack, sachel, satchel, reticule, budget, net, ditty bag, ditty box, housewife, hussif, saddlebags, portfolio, quiver, chest, box, coffer, caddy, case, casket, pyx, pix, caisson, desk, bureau, reliquary, trunk, portmanteau, band-box, valise, grip, grip sack, skippet, vasculum, boot, imperial, vache, cage, manger, rack, vessel, vase, bushel, barrel, canister, jar, pottle, basket, pannier, buck-basket, hopper, maund, creel, cran, crate, cradle, bassinet, wisket, whisket, jardiniere, corbeille, hamper, dosser, dorser, tray, hod, scuttle, utensil, brazier, cuspidor, spittoon, cistern, vat, caldron, barrel, cask, drum, puncheon, keg, rundlet, tun, butt, cag, firkin, kilderkin, carboy, amphora, bottle, jar, decanter, ewer, cruse, caraffe, crock, kit, canteen, flagon, demijohn, flask, flasket, stoup, noggin, vial, phial, cruet, caster, urn, epergne, salver, patella, tazza, patera, pig gin, big gin, tyg, nipperkin, pocket pistol, tub, bucket, pail, skeel, pot, tankard, jug, pitcher, mug, pipkin, galipot, gallipot, matrass, receiver, retort, alembic, bolthead, capsule, can, kettle, bowl, basin, jorum, punch bowl, cup, goblet, chalice, tumbler, glass, rummer, horn, saucepan, skillet, posnet, tureen, beaker, flask, Erlenmeyer flask, Florence flask, round-bottom flask, graduated cylinder, test tube, culture tube, pipette, Pasteur pipette, disposable pipette, syringe, vial, carboy, vacuum flask, Petri dish, microtiter tray, centrifuge tube, bail, beaker, billy, canakin, catch basin, catch drain, chatti, lota, mussuk, schooner, spider, terrine, toby, urceus, plate, platter, dish, trencher, calabash, porringer, potager, saucer, pan, crucible, glassware, tableware, vitrics, compote, gravy boat, creamer, sugar bowl, butter dish, mug, pitcher, punch bowl, chafing dish, shovel, trowel, spoon, spatula, ladle, dipper, tablespoon, watch glass, thimble, closet, commode, cupboard, cellaret, chiffonniere, locker, bin, bunker, buffet, press, clothespress, safe, sideboard, drawer, chest of drawers, chest on chest, highboy, lowboy, till, scrutoire, secretary, secretaire, davenport, bookcase, cabinet, canterbury, escritoire, etagere, vargueno, vitrine, chamber, apartment, room, cabin, office, court, hall, atrium, suite of rooms, apartment, flat, story, saloon, salon, parlor, by-room, cubicle, presence chamber, sitting room, best room, keeping room, drawing room, reception room, state room, gallery, cabinet, closet, pew, box, boudoir, adytum, sanctum, bedroom, dormitory, refectory, dining room, salle-a-manger, nursery, schoolroom, library, study, studio, billiard room, smoking room, den, stateroom, tablinum, tenement, bath room, bathroom, toilet, lavatory, powder room, john, jakes, necessary, loo, men's room, ladies' room, rest room, (uncleanness), 653 attic, loft, garret, cockloft, clerestory, cellar, vault, hold, cockpit, cubbyhole, cook house, entre-sol, mezzanine floor, ground floor, rez-de-chaussee, basement, kitchen, pantry, bawarchi-khana, scullery, offices, storeroom, lumber room, dairy, laundry, coach house, garage, hangar, outhouse, penthouse, lean-to, portico, porch, stoop, stope, veranda, patio, lanai, terrace, deck, lobby, court, courtyard, hall, vestibule, corridor, passage, breezeway, ante room, ante chamber, lounge, piazza, veranda, conservatory, greenhouse, bower, arbor, summerhouse, alcove, grotto, hermitage, lodging, bed, carriage, capsular, saccular, sacculated, recipient, ventricular, cystic, vascular, vesicular, cellular, camerated, locular, multilocular, polygastric, marsupial, siliquose, siliquous.