Result from Foreign Dictionaries (2 entries found)

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Capacity \Ca*pac"i*ty\ (k[.a]*p[a^]s"[i^]*t[y^]), n.; pl. {Capacities} (-t[i^]z). [L. capacitus, fr. capax, capacis; fr. F. capacit['e]. See {Capacious}.] 1. The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or space; passive power; -- used in reference to physical things. [1913 Webster] Had our great palace the capacity To camp this host, we all would sup together. --Shak. [1913 Webster] The capacity of the exhausted cylinder. --Boyle. [1913 Webster] 2. The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.; the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty; capability of understanding or feeling. [1913 Webster] Capacity is now properly limited to these [the mere passive operations of the mind]; its primary signification, which is literally room for, as well as its employment, favors this; although it can not be denied that there are examples of its usage in an active sense. --Sir W. Hamilton. [1913 Webster] 3. Ability; power pertaining to, or resulting from, the possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of being or of doing. [1913 Webster] The capacity of blessing the people. --Alex. Hamilton. [1913 Webster] A cause with such capacities endued. --Blackmore. [1913 Webster] 4. Outward condition or circumstances; occupation; profession; character; position; as, to work in the capacity of a mason or a carpenter. [1913 Webster] 5. (Law) Legal or moral qualification, as of age, residence, character, etc., necessary for certain purposes, as for holding office, for marrying, for making contracts, wills, etc.; legal power or right; competency. [1913 Webster] {Capacity for heat}, the power of absorbing heat. Substances differ in the amount of heat requisite to raise them a given number of thermometric degrees, and this difference is the measure of, or depends upon, what is called their capacity for heat. See {Specific heat}, under {Heat}. Syn: Ability; faculty; talent; capability; skill; efficiency; cleverness. See {Ability}. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: capacity n 1: capability to perform or produce; "among his gifts is his capacity for true altruism"; "limited runway capacity"; "a great capacity for growth" [ant: {incapacity}] 2: the susceptibility of something to a particular treatment; "the capability of a metal to be fused" [syn: {capability}, {capacity}] 3: the amount that can be contained; "the gas tank has a capacity of 12 gallons" [syn: {capacity}, {content}] 4: the maximum production possible; "the plant is working at 80 per cent capacity" 5: a specified function; "he was employed in the capacity of director"; "he should be retained in his present capacity at a higher salary" 6: (computer science) the amount of information (in bytes) that can be stored on a disk drive; "the capacity of a hard disk drive is usually expressed in megabytes" 7: an electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is stored [syn: {capacitance}, {electrical capacity}, {capacity}] 8: the power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior [syn: {capacity}, {mental ability}] [ant: {incapacity}] 9: tolerance for alcohol; "he had drunk beyond his capacity"