HOW TO PRONOUNCE
can
/kæn/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:05
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What does can mean?
verb
- To know how to.
- To be able to.
- (informal) May; to be permitted or enabled to.
More meanings (42)
verb
- To have the potential to; to be possible for (someone or something) to.
- (informal) Used to form requests, typically polite.
- To be (followed by a word like able, possible, allowed). third-person singular simple present indicative of can
- To be able to or know how to (do something); an accompanying verb is not required if it is already inferable from context.
- To be fine or acceptable; to be possible; (with liao or already) to be enough. Often used in conjunction with a variety of clause-final particles, e.g., lah, meh or one, to express different attitudes towards the subject matter.
- To seal in a can.
- To preserve by heating and sealing in a jar or can.
- To discard, scrap or terminate (an idea, project, etc.).
- (slang) To shut up.
- To fire or dismiss an employee.
- (slang) To hole the ball.
- To cover (the fuel element in a nuclear reactor) with a protective cover.
- (obsolete) To know.
interjection
- OK, sure; indicates approval or acknowledgment.
- Used to convey reassurance.
particle
- OK(?); used at the end of a question when seeking approval or acknowledgment.
noun
- A container or vessel, especially for liquids, usually made of metal.
- A sealed metal container, cylindrical or cuboid in form, typically used to store preserved foods.
- A container used to carry and dispense water for plants (a watering can).
- (slang) Jail or prison.
- (slang) Headphones.
- A cylindrical buoy or marker used to denote a port-side lateral mark
- A chimney pot.
- (slang) An E-meter used in Scientology auditing.
- (slang) An ounce (or sometimes, two ounces) of marijuana.
- A protective cover for the fuel element in a nuclear reactor.
- ceric ammonium nitrate
- Abbreviation of controller area network.
- Initialism of campus area network.
- Acronym of community action network.
- Initialism of consistent and asymptotically normal, a statistic estimator Tₙ(X₁, X₂, ..., Xₙ) is CAN (consistent and asymptotically normal) if ....
- Acronym of court attendance notice.
- (archaic) A chamber pot.
- (archaic, slang) a toilet or lavatory.
- (slang, vulgar) Buttocks.
- (slang, vulgar) The breasts of a woman.
- (archaic) A drinking cup.
proper noun
- A river in Essex, England, which joins the River Chelmer in Chelmsford; in full, the River Can.
- A unisex given name from Vietnamese.
- Alternative spelling of Can.
- Abbreviation of Controller Area Network, ISO standards 11898, 11898-1, 11898-2, and its predecessor standards.
- The Andean Community of Nations.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/kæn/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
But no organic law can ever be framed with a provision specifically applicable to every question which may occur in practical administration.
“Only I never can remember the rule. You must be very happy, living in this wood, and being glad whenever you like!”
More book examples (3)
Of course Peter had been trifling with them, for no one can fly unless the fairy dust has been blown on him.
It can harmonize, assimilate, and protect the several parts and members, and extend the benefit of its foresight and precautions to each.
They will not be wanted, I can tell them that, and will fare worse than we did if they do find it.