Also 5–6 -yte(e, 6–7 -itie, (6 -ite, -itye, -asitie). [15th c. capacyte, a. F. capacité, ad. L. capācitāt-em, noun of state f. capāx, capāci- able to take in: see -ACITY.]
† 1. Ability to receive or contain; holding power. Obs. (in general sense).
1481. Caxton, Myrr., III. xx. 179. The capacyte and gretnes of heuene.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind., I. I. (Arb.), 66. Hauens of capacitie to harborowe greate nauies. Ibid., IV. (Arb.), 85. A potte of no bygger capacitie then to houlde them only.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., IV. viii. 32. Had our great Pallace the Capacity To campe this hoast.
1702. Eng. Theophrast., 228. There is a certain degree of capacity in the greatest vessel, and when tis full, if you pour in still, it must run out.
b. fig.
1578. Chr. Prayers, in Priv. Prayers (1851), 513. That I may so drink of thee, according to my capacity, as I may live for ever.
1634. Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit., Wks. (1808), 195. All favourable promises presuppose a capacity in the receiver.
1845. De Quincey, Wks., VI. 275. Men of genius have a larger capacity of happiness.
c. Capacity for heat, moisture, etc.: the power of absorbing heat, etc. Capacity of a conductor (Electr.): see quot.
1793. T. Beddoes, Calculus, &c. 233. The great capacity of the arterial blood for heat.
1863. R. S. Culley, Pract. Telegr. (1871), 293. By the Capacity of a Condenser or Cable is meant its power to receive a charge.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 68. The hotter the air the greater its capacity for moisture.
1885. Watson & Burbury, Math. Th. Electr. & Magn., I. 160. The capacity of a conductor in presence of any other conductors is the charge upon it required to raise it to unit potential, when all the other conductors have potential zero.
2. Hence, Content: † a. superficial, Area (obs.); b. cubic, Volume, solid content. Measure of capacity: the measure applied to the content of a vessel, and to liquids, grain, or the like, which take the shape of that which holds them.
1571. Digges, Pantom., II. ix. N j. You maye readely measure all equiangle figures, what capacitie … soeuer they bee of. Ibid., IV. xxiv. Rules for the inuention of his capacitie superficiall and Solide.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., II. (1736), 18. The present Urns were not of one Capacity, the Largest containing above a Gallon.
1697. Dampier, Voy. Of a Capacity usually of a Gallon or more.
1818. Faraday, Exp. Res., iv. 11. A glass globe of the … capacity … of about 140 cubic inches.
1866. Herschel, Fam. Lect. Sc., 192. Our ordinary measures of length, weight and capacity.
† 3. A containing space, area or volume. Obs.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr. (1652), 154. Into a long square … or an Ovall Capacity, or else into a Circular plot.
1756. Burke, Subl. & B., IV. ix. The whole capacity of the eye, vibrating in all its parts.
† b. esp. A space of three dimensions; a hollow space, a cavity. Obs.
1542. R. Copland, Galyen’s Terap., 2 G ij. In diuiding y2 tronke … betwene the necke & the legges, is two great capacytees.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 216. There are two capacities or holow places in the heart.
1662. Glanvill, Lux Orient., xiv. (1682), 129. Not … a meer void capacity; for there are no such chasms in nature.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., Carcass, is an Iron Case, or hollow Capacity, about the bigness of a Bomb.
† c. fig.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xv. 248. Influence that floweth into the capasitie of our vnderstanding.
1752. Johnson, Rambl., No. 204, ¶ 3. I will fill the whole capacity of my soul with enjoyment.
4. Mental or intellectual receiving power; ability to grasp or take in impressions, ideas, knowledge.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 1. After the capacyte of my lytel entendement … I haue ordeyned this book.
1580. Baret, Alv., C 64. To apply himself to the capacitie of the scholer.
1672. Milton, Samson, 1028. Capacity not raised to … value what is best.
1713. Berkeley, Wks., III. 145. He wants capacity to relish what true piety is.
1836–8. Sir W. Hamilton, Metaph., I. 253. Faculty is active power; capacity is passive power.
5. Active power or force of mind; mental ability, talent.
1485. Caxton, Paris & V., Prol. My capacity is not sufficient for the proper handling … of such subjects.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxvii. § 12. Hath not perhaps the wit or capacity to tread out so endless mazes.
1673. Marvell, Corr., ccxi. Wks. 1872–5, II. 413. Ready to … serve them to the best of your capacityes.
1713. Steele, Guardian, No. 17, ¶ 7. The fellow was a person of diligence and capacity.
1856. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., III. IV. x. § 22. Everlasting difference is set between one man’s capacity and another’s.
6. gen. The power, ability or faculty for anything in particular. Constr. of, for, or inf.
1647. Jer. Taylor, Lib. Proph., i. 10. Enable him with the capacities of our Saviour and Lord.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. i. 13. We are endued with Capacities of Action, of Happiness and Misery.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, IX. vii. The capacity of removing themselves from one place to another.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Charmed Sea, i. 8. Sophia … seemed to have lost the capacity of loving.
1869. Buckle, Civiliz., II. i. 5. As society advanced there arose a capacity for self-protection.
1883. Nature, 8 March, 435. The means of determining exact positions [in astronomy] and the capacity to reduce them.
7. The quality or condition of admitting or being open to action or treatment; capability, possibility.
1659. Whole Duty Man, X. ii. 79. Several branches [of Justice] answerable to those capacities of injury.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., iii. (1681), 17. Of Wet Meadows or Land under that capacity of being overflown.
1669. Marvell, Corr., cxiv. Wks. 1872–5, II. 274. You have yet … a capacity of straitning the project.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. v. 106. To deprive them of the capacity of ever returning.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 90. That there should be a level area … or the capacity of making such a one.
1825. McCulloch, Pol. Econ., I. 23. Countries possessed of the greatest capacities of improvement.
1850. Daubeny, Atom. The., v. (ed. 2), 159. The theoretical doctrine of a capacity for infinite division necessarily inherent in matter.
† 8. Hence To be in, put into or out of a capacity: i.e., a position that enables, or renders capable. Obs.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. vi. 17. He instantly, if he be in capacity, leaves the wife of his bosom.
1669. Marvell, Corr., cxxxi. Wks. 1872–5, II. 296. The House … not … in a capacity to finish that bill before their meeting in February.
a. 1672. Wood, Life (1848), 23. Being just … in capacity of spending the remainder of his dayes in ease and quietness, he died.
1697. Dampier, Voy., I. xiii. 352. The capacity we were then in, of settling ourselves at Mindanas.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 282. We are not willing to put ourselves out of a capacity of planting further.
1804. Duncan, Trident, I. 185. Our [galley] alone was in a capacity to begin the engagement.
9. Position, condition, character, relation.
a. 1649. Charles I., Wks., 295. He should be in a capacity of Honor.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., III. 9. In what capacity these Jews came over, I finde not.
1710. Pope, Lett., in Wks. V. 84. I am … dead in a natural capacity … dead in a poetical capacity … and dead in a civil capacity.
1746–7. Hervey, Medit. (1758), II. 71. The Moon, during her whole Increase, is always ready to act in the Capacity of a Guide.
1835. Buchanan, Ch. Establishm., i. 7. Channels through which the mind of a people, in their collective capacity, can be expressed.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 365. The King, in his individual capacity, had very little to give.
1871. Smiles, Charac., iv. (1876), 111. Izaak Walton was a linendraper in Fleet Street, reading much in his leisure hours, and storing his mind with facts for future use in his capacity of biographer.
† b. Relation, tenor, sense (of words). Obs.
1720. Waterland, Vind. Christ’s Divin., 102. Irenæus understood those Texts … in that Capacity.
10. Law. Legal competency or qualification. To be in capacity: to be legally qualified.
1480. Bury Wills (1850), 66. Capacite in the lawe to purchase, take, and resceyue … possessiouns.
a. 1626. Bacon, Use Com. Law (1636), 42. Persons attainted of felony or treason, have no capacity in them to take, obtaine, or purchase.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 44. Capacitie is when a man, or bodie politicke or corporate is able to give or take lands or other things, or to sue actions.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., II. 497. The ecclesiastical court is the judge of every testator’s capacity.
1845. Stephen, Laws Eng., II. 406. The capacity of an alien may be enlarged by his becoming a denizen.
