Definitions for: Capacity


[n] the maximum production possible; "the plant is working at 80 per cent capacity"
[n] a specified function; "he was employed in the capacity of director"; "he should be retained in his present capacity at a higher salary"
[n] tolerance for alcohol; "he had drunk beyond his capacity"
[n] ability to perform or produce
[n] the power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior
[n] an electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is stored
[n] (computer science) the amount of information (in bytes) that can be stored on a disk drive; "the capacity of a hard disk drive is usually expressed in megabytes"
[n] the amount that can be contained; "the gas tank has a capacity of 12 gallons"
[n] the susceptibility of something to a particular treatment; "the capability of a metal to be fused"



Webster (1913) Definition: Ca*pac"i*ty, n.; pl. Capacities (-t[i^]z). [L.
capacitus, fr. capax, capacis; fr. F. capacit['e]. See
Capacious.]
1. The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or
space; passive power; -- used in reference to physical
things.

Had our great palace the capacity To camp this host,
we all would sup together. --Shak.

The capacity of the exhausted cylinder. --Boyle.

2. The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.;
the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty;
capability of undestanding or feeling.

Capacity is now properly limited to these [the mere
passive operations of the mind]; its primary
signification, which is literally room for, as well
as its employment, favars this; although it can not
be dented that there are examples of its usage in an
active sense. --Sir W.
Hamilton.

3. Ability; power pertaining to, or resulting from, the
possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of
being or of doing.

The capacity of blessing the people. --Alex.
Hamilton.

A cause with such capacities endued. --Blackmore.

4. Outward condition or circumstances; occupation;
profession; character; position; as, to work in the
capacity of a mason or a carpenter.

5. (Law) Legal or noral qualification, as of age, residence,
character, etc., necessary for certain purposes, as for
holding office, for marrying, for making contracts, will,
etc.; legal power or right; competency.

Capacity for heat, the power of absorbing heat. Substances
differ in the amount of heat requisite to raise them a
given number of thermometric degrees, and this difference
is the measure of, or depends upon, what is called their
capacity for heat. See Specific heat, under Heat.

Syn: Ability; faculty; talent; capability; skill; efficiency;
cleverness. See Ability.

Synonyms: capability, capacitance, content, electrical capacity, mental ability

Antonyms: incapacity, incapacity

See Also: ability, activity, capability, capableness, electrical phenomenon, formatted capacity, function, indefinite quantity, office, part, power, prescience, prevision, production, role, susceptibility, susceptibleness, tolerance, unformatted capacity, vital capacity, volume

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