Similar words: would, should, heart and soul, coup, court, course, couch, cousin. Meaning: [kæn;kən] 
verb.1. to be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to: She can solve the problem easily, I'm sure. 2. to know how to: He can play chess, although he's not particularly good at it. 3. to have the power or means to: A dictator can impose his will on the people. 4. to have the right or qualifications to: He can change whatever he wishes in the script. 5. may; have permission to: Can I speak to you for a moment? 6. to have the possibility: A coin can land on either side. v.t., v.i.7. Obs. to know. [bef. 900; ME, OE, pres. ind. sing. 1st, 3rd person of cunnan to know, know how; c. G, ON, Goth kann; see KEN, KNOW]Usage. CAN1 and MAY1 are frequently but not always interchangeable in senses indicating possibility: A power failure can (or may) occur at any time. Despite the insistence by some, that CAN means only "to be able" and MAY means "to be permitted," both are regularly used in seeking or granting permission: Can (or May) I borrow your tape recorder? You can (or may) use it tomorrow.Sentences using CAN occur chiefly in spoken English. MAY in this sense occurs more frequently in formal contexts: May I address the court, Your Honor? In negative constructions, CAN'T or CANNOT is more common than MAY NOT: You can't have it today. I need it myself. The contraction MAYN'T is rare.CAN BUT and CANNOT BUT are formal and now somewhat old-fashioned expressions suggesting that there is no possible alternative to doing something. CAN BUT is equivalent to CAN ONLY: We can but do our best. CANNOT BUT is the equivalent of CANNOT HELP BUT: We cannot but protest against these injustices. See also cannot, help.canned|canning|cans|could/kan/, n., v., canned, canning.n.1. a sealed container for food, beverages, etc., as of aluminum, sheet iron coated with tin, or other metal: a can of soup. 2. a receptacle for garbage, ashes, etc.: a trash can. 3. a bucket, pail, or other container for holding or carrying liquids: water can. 4. a drinking cup; tankard. 5. a metal or plastic container for holding film on cores or reels. 6. Slang. (usually vulgar). toilet; bathroom. 7. Slang. jail: He's been in the can for a week. 8. Slang. (sometimes vulgar). buttocks. 9. Mil. Slang. a depth charge. a destroyer. 10. carry the can, Brit. and Canadian Slang. to take the responsibility. 11. in the can, recorded on film; completed: The movie is in the can and ready for release. v.t.12. to preserve by sealing in a can, jar, etc. 13. Slang. to dismiss; fire. 14. Slang. to throw (something) away. 15. Slang. to put a stop to: Can that noise! 16. to record, as on film or tape. [bef. 1000; ME, OE canne, c. G Kanne, ON kanna, all perh. < WGmc; cf. LL canna small vessel], /kood/; unstressed /keuhd/, v.1. a pt. of can1. auxiliary verb.2. (used to express possibility): I wonder who that could be at the door. That couldn't be true. 3. (used to express conditional possibility or ability): You could do it if you tried. 4. (used in making polite requests): Could you open the door for me, please? 5. (used in asking for permission): Could I borrow your pen? 6. (used in offering suggestions or advice): You could write and ask for more information. You could at least have called me..
verb.1. to be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to: She can solve the problem easily, I'm sure. 2. to know how to: He can play chess, although he's not particularly good at it. 3. to have the power or means to: A dictator can impose his will on the people. 4. to have the right or qualifications to: He can change whatever he wishes in the script. 5. may; have permission to: Can I speak to you for a moment? 6. to have the possibility: A coin can land on either side. v.t., v.i.7. Obs. to know. [bef. 900; ME, OE, pres. ind. sing. 1st, 3rd person of cunnan to know, know how; c. G, ON, Goth kann; see KEN, KNOW]Usage. CAN1 and MAY1 are frequently but not always interchangeable in senses indicating possibility: A power failure can (or may) occur at any time. Despite the insistence by some, that CAN means only "to be able" and MAY means "to be permitted," both are regularly used in seeking or granting permission: Can (or May) I borrow your tape recorder? You can (or may) use it tomorrow.Sentences using CAN occur chiefly in spoken English. MAY in this sense occurs more frequently in formal contexts: May I address the court, Your Honor? In negative constructions, CAN'T or CANNOT is more common than MAY NOT: You can't have it today. I need it myself. The contraction MAYN'T is rare.CAN BUT and CANNOT BUT are formal and now somewhat old-fashioned expressions suggesting that there is no possible alternative to doing something. CAN BUT is equivalent to CAN ONLY: We can but do our best. CANNOT BUT is the equivalent of CANNOT HELP BUT: We cannot but protest against these injustices. See also cannot, help.canned|canning|cans|could/kan/, n., v., canned, canning.n.1. a sealed container for food, beverages, etc., as of aluminum, sheet iron coated with tin, or other metal: a can of soup. 2. a receptacle for garbage, ashes, etc.: a trash can. 3. a bucket, pail, or other container for holding or carrying liquids: water can. 4. a drinking cup; tankard. 5. a metal or plastic container for holding film on cores or reels. 6. Slang. (usually vulgar). toilet; bathroom. 7. Slang. jail: He's been in the can for a week. 8. Slang. (sometimes vulgar). buttocks. 9. Mil. Slang. a depth charge. a destroyer. 10. carry the can, Brit. and Canadian Slang. to take the responsibility. 11. in the can, recorded on film; completed: The movie is in the can and ready for release. v.t.12. to preserve by sealing in a can, jar, etc. 13. Slang. to dismiss; fire. 14. Slang. to throw (something) away. 15. Slang. to put a stop to: Can that noise! 16. to record, as on film or tape. [bef. 1000; ME, OE canne, c. G Kanne, ON kanna, all perh. < WGmc; cf. LL canna small vessel], /kood/; unstressed /keuhd/, v.1. a pt. of can1. auxiliary verb.2. (used to express possibility): I wonder who that could be at the door. That couldn't be true. 3. (used to express conditional possibility or ability): You could do it if you tried. 4. (used in making polite requests): Could you open the door for me, please? 5. (used in asking for permission): Could I borrow your pen? 6. (used in offering suggestions or advice): You could write and ask for more information. You could at least have called me.. 151. The house was ablaze, and the flames and smoke could be seen for miles around.
152. She could feel the rolling motion of the ship under her feet.
153. I found myself constantly pondering the question: "How could anyone do these things?"
154. They could find no further reference to Mr LaMotte in the records.
155. The only way you could meet my crazy was by doing something crazy yourself.
156. The smaller of its hands occasionally slipped round on the pivot, and thus, though the minutes were told with precision, nobody could be quite certain of the hour they belonged to.
157. The government recognised there were problems in urban areas but these could never be an excuse for lawless behaviour.
158. Could you bundle up these clothes? I'll take them to the post.
159. If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa,(http://sentencedict.com/could.html) there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.
160. Police withheld the dead boy's name yesterday until relatives could be told.
161. Gone are the days when a big nation could lord it over small ones.
162. The doctor was able to treat the disease although he could not lay his finger on the exact cause.
163. She could have stipulated that she would pay when she collected the computer.
164. He could also learn to use the vacuum cleaner, the washing machine and other household appliances.
165. May your life brighter as each birthday comes and goes.The nicest kind of birthday that could be wishes for you.
166. He could make trouble for me if he wanted to.
167. When I got up to him,I could see that he was one of my friends after all.
168. Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors.
169. A move towards healthy eating could help eliminate heart disease.
170. Could you give me a bed for the night ?
171. You make me happier than I ever thought I could be. And if you'll let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way.
172. The boy could not paint on,because his mother wanted him to be a teacher.
173. The dentist could detect no sign of decay in her teeth.
174. The kindest friend there could ever be is the kind of friend you are to me.Happy Birthday!
175. Jack was not so much interested in making money, so long as he could manage to rub along.
176. We would do anything to ease your sorrow if we only could.
177. They made the big mistake of thinking they could seize its border with a relatively small force.
178. He hesitated and asked me if he could sit near me.
179. Historically there was no letter " l " in the word " could " ; it was inserted by analogy with " would ".
180. We could hear the lions roaring at the other end of the zoo.
More similar words: would, should, heart and soul, coup, court, course, couch, cousin, county, couple, country, of course, counter, council, account, count out, count on, discount, courtroom, encourage, discourse, discourage, counselor, courageous, account for, a couple of, encouraging, in due course, accounting, discouraged.