Can /(kăn)/

1. an obs. form of began, imp. & p. p. of Begin, sometimes used in old poetry. [See Gan.] obs.

   With gentle words he can faile gree.

1. A drinking cup; a vessel for holding liquids.

   Fill the cup and fill can, Have a rouse before the morn.

2. A vessel or case of tinned iron or of sheet metal, of various forms, but usually cylindrical; as, a can of tomatoes; an oil can; a milk can.

imp. & p. p. Canned; p. pr. & vb. n. Canning

1. To preserve by putting in sealed cans [U. S.]

imp. Could

1. To know; to understand. [Obs.]

   I can rimes of Robin Hood.

   I can no Latin, quod she.

   Let the priest in surplice white, That defunctive music can.

2. To be able to do; to have power or influence. [Obs.]

   The will of Him who all things can.

   For what, alas, can these my single arms?

   Mæcænas and Agrippa, who can most with Cæsar.

3. To be able; -- followed by an infinitive without to; as, I can go, but do not wish to.

   Yet he could not but acknowledge to himself that there was something calculated to impress awe, . . . in the sudden appearances and vanishings . . . of the masque

   Tom felt that this was a rebuff for him, and could not but understand it as a left-handed hit at his employer.