All 6 Uses of
competent
in
The Bourne Supremacy
- There's usually a reason for both of those things for a man of my age and competence.†
Chpt 7 *competence = ability
- The soldier in his grip was dead if he disobeyed, and with a single shot any reasonably competent marksman could kill the man by the steps.†
Chpt 23competent = sufficiently capable
- If I miss this meeting because of incompetence there'll be several very upset commissioners, including a powerful general of the People's Army who's anxious to conclude certain purchases from France.'†
Chpt 24incompetence = inability to do things sufficientlystandard prefix: The prefix "in-" in incompetence means not and reverses the meaning of competence. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.
- It was always our intent to spare you, for you were asked to perform duties beyond your competence at your age, privileged to learn secrets beyond your understanding.†
Chpt 27competence = ability
- 'That's dubious, but I like to think I'm competent.†
Chpt 31competent = sufficiently capable
- The physician had asked McAllister how he expected to replace him — there was a dearth of competent doctors in Macao.†
Chpt 35
Definitions:
-
(1)
(competent) capable (able to do something in a generally satisfactory manner) -- sometimes specifically to have legal capability
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
In the field of law, competent has the specialized meaning of being legally qualified to do something such as to be mentally fit to make reasonable decisions; or to have jurisdiction or authority to take an action.
In classic literature, a competency can refer to having an income or assets to support living expenses.