enable

«enable» in Mova's school dictionary: to make it possible for someone or something to do something — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

part of speech

verb (enable, enables, enabled, enabling)

meaning for a pupil

1) To enable means to make it possible for someone or something to do something. tree →

2) To enable a setting on a computer or phone means to turn it on. tree →

3) (informal, disapproving) To enable someone can mean to help them keep doing something bad for them. tree →

sense in the lessons

In science and technology: lungs enable us to breathe; enable location on a tablet. In formal writing and exam questions: "This enables us to find the area." Phrases: enable someone to do, enable cookies, enabled by.

examples

• Glasses enable my grandad to read. tree →
• Wings enable birds to fly. tree →
• Enable Bluetooth to connect the speaker. tree →
• The ramp enables wheelchair users to get in. tree →
• Knowing the length and width enables you to find the area. tree →
• Money from the fair enabled the school to buy books. tree →
• “But 'tis the air which enables thee to breathe,” said the poet's voice. tree →

note

Pattern: enable someone/something to + verb. Opposite: disable (turn off; stop working). Adjective: enabled. It is a little formal; in everyday talk say "let" or "help".

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «enable» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.