{
    "term": "ability",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the fact that somebody/something is able to do something",
            "sensetop": "ability to do something",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "People with the disease may **lose their ability** to communicate."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This program **has the ability** to adapt to its user."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Students must **demonstrate the ability** to understand simple texts."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She has an **uncanny ability** to predict what consumers will want."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A gentle form of exercise will increase your ability to relax."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I seem to have lost my ability to attract clients."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He has this innate ability to see beyond the range of most people."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The system has the ability to run more than one program at the same time."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Everyone has the right to good medical care regardless of their ability to pay."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["exceptional", "extraordinary", "great"],
                "… of ability": ["level"],
                "verb + ability": ["have", "possess", "retain"],
                "preposition": ["ability in"],
                "phrases": ["to the best of your ability"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a level of skill or intelligence",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Their **athletic ability** is stunning."
                },
                {
                    "text": "cognitive/intellectual/mental ability"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A woman of her ability will easily find a job."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Are you used to teaching students of mixed abilities?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's important to discover the natural abilities of each child."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I try to do my job **to the best of my ability** *(= as well as I can)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Fox's abilities were soon recognized."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was a man of extraordinary abilities."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I taught a wide range of abilities."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is much more difficult to teach a mixed-ability class."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She showed a high level of ability as a runner."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She showed great ability in mathematics."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The school does nothing for children of high ability."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was a high level of ability among the school leavers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We will keep you informed to the best of our ability."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Almost everyone has some musical ability."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["high", "limited", "low"],
                "verb + ability": ["assess", "measure", "test"],
                "ability + noun": ["level", "range"],
                "phrases": ["a range of ability", "a range of abilities"]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbɪləti/",
                "audio": "ab/ability/ability__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbɪləti/",
                "audio": "ab/ability/ability__us_4.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: from Old French ablete, from Latin habilitas, from habilis ‘able’."
}