All 5 Uses of
enable
in
Babbitt
- These virtues awakened Confidence, and enabled you to handle Bigger Propositions.†
Chpt 4 *enabled = made possible
- It made him feel superior; it enabled him to sneer privily at the Martin Lumsen development, Avonlea, which had a cesspool; and it provided a chorus for the full-page advertisements in which he announced the beauty, convenience, cheapness, and supererogatory healthfulness of Glen Oriole.†
Chpt 4
- Anyway, I don't keep a car just to enable you children to look like millionaires!†
Chpt 6enable = make possible
- Babbitt was again without a canon which would enable him to speak with authority.†
Chpt 6
- These authors—and he supposed they were famous ones, too—did not seem to care about telling a good story which would enable a fellow to forget his troubles.†
Chpt 23
Definition:
to make possible
in various senses, including:
- to give someone the ability, knowledge, or authority to do something -- as in "The study will enable an informed discussion."
- to activate a computer system for use -- as in "You can enable the feature in the Settings Page."
- to permit someone to repeat bad behavior, so they reinforce the bad pattern -- as in "I don't want to enable her drug addiction."