enable — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To make somebody able (to do, or to be, something); to give sufficient ability or power to do or to be; to give strength or ability to.

   Synonyms

   empowerendow

   Examples

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   And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

2. To affirm; to make firm and strong.

3. To qualify or approve for some role or position; to render sanction or authorization to; to confirm suitability for.

   Synonyms

   letpermitauthorize

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   This was widely interpreted to mean that slavery was once more firmly illegal in England. However, the "positive law" mentioned–i.e., a direct law specifically enabling slavery–existed in many British colonies (although not all), since these colonies had a degree of freedom to write their own law apart from that of the home country.

4. To yield the opportunity or provide the possibility for something; to provide with means, opportunities, and the like.

   Synonyms

   allow

   Examples

   Temperance gives Nature her full play, and enables her to exert herself in all her force and vigor.

   April 16, 2018, Norimitsu Onishi and Selam Gebrekidan writing in The New York Times, ‘They Eat Money’: How Mandela’s Political Heirs Grow Rich Off Corruption

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   Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.

   Trainers of modern athletes monitor performance by using high tech equipment and biometric bodysuits with embedded sensors to enable detailed analysis of movement, balance, efficiency for athletic performance.

   During 1971-72, spare Type 4s on other regions enabled the whole class to be sidelined, with Class 43s going first.

5. To imply or tacitly confer excuse for an action or a behavior.

   Examples

   His parents enabled him to go on buying drugs.

6. To put a circuit element into action by supplying a suitable input pulse.

7. To activate, to make operational (especially of a function of an electronic or mechanical device).

   Synonyms

   activateturn on

   Antonyms

   disable

Verb

1. render capable or able for some task

   Antonyms

   disable

   Broader terms

   changealtermodify

   Examples

   This skill will enable you to find a job on Wall Street

   The rope enables you to secure yourself when you climb the mountain