English

Contraction

can't

1. Cannot; is unable to; does not have the ability to.

   I can’t quite get it to work.‎

2. Is forbidden to; is not permitted to.

   You can’t enter the hall without a ticket.‎

3. Often with be: is logically impossible.

   The butler can’t be the murderer because he was in London that evening.‎

   • 1750, W[illiam] Ellis, The Country Housewife's Family Companion: Or Profitable Directions for Whatever Relates to the Management and Good Œconomy of the Domestick Concerns of a Country Life, According to the Present Practice of the Country Gentleman's, the Yeoman's, the Farmer's, &c. Wives, in the Counties of Hertford, Bucks, and Other Parts of England: Shewing how Great Savings may be Made in Housekeeping: [...] With Variety of Curious Matters [...] The Whole Founded on Near Thirty Years Experience, London: Printed for James Hodges, at the Looking-glass, facing St. Magnus Church, London-Bridge; and B. Collins, bookseller, at Salisbury, OCLC 837728611, page 157:

     To make Capons […] [S]ome for this Purpoſe make it their Buſineſs after Harveſt-time to go to Markets for buying up Chickens, and between Michaelmas and All-hollantide caponize the Cocks, when they have got large enough to have Stones [i.e., testes] of ſuch a Bigneſs that they may be pulled out; for if they are too little, it can't be done; […]

Usage notes

• Some US dialects that glottalize the final /t/ in can’t (/kæn(ʔ)/), in order to differentiate can’t from can, pronounce can as /kɛn/ even when stressed.

Antonyms

• be able to, can,
• Sense 2 and 3 only - must, have to

See also

• Appendix:English modal verbs
• Appendix:English tag questions

Translations

For other translations, see can and not.

Statistics

Anagrams

• NCTA

References

1. ↑ “can't” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).
2. ↑ “can't” in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Online.