Ability

[Sarah]

The quality or state of being able; power to perform, whetherphysical, moral, intellectual, conventional, or legal; capacity;skill or competence in doing; sufficiency of strength, skill,resources, etc.; -- in the plural, faculty, talent.Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined tosend relief unto the brethren. Acts xi. 29.Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning bystudy. Bacon.The public men of England, with much of a peculiar kind of ability.Macaulay.

[Sarah]

The natural equipment to accomplish some small part of the meaner ambitions distinguishing able men from dead ones. In the last analysis ability is commonly found to consist mainly in a high degree of solemnity. Perhaps, however, this impressive quality is rightly appraised; it is no easy task to be solemn.

[Zipporah Schumaker]

Forming nouns of quality corresponding to adjectives ending in -able (such as suitability corresponding to suitable).