can
to be able to, or to be allowed to
How often you will meet it
Rank 88 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 276,532 times across 155,370 chapters — 0.131% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 100 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
modal verb
- to be able to, or to be allowed to
can in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Husband, I'm faint; I can no farther go.
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1
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I've heerd o' Mavis as long as I can rickellect.
The Heart of the Hills · John, Jr. Fox · Chapter 1
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It means so much to them, and only forty-five can go away happy.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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They are given to hiding a great deal, but the father in them can not be hid.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
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The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1