(kan, unstressed kən) v. Present: sing. can, can (Archaic canst), can, plural can; past: could
A defective verb now used only in the present and past tenses as an auxiliary followed by the infinitive without to, or elliptically with the infinitive unexpressed, in the following senses:
1. To be able to.
2. To know how to.
3. To have the right to.
4. Colloq. To be permitted to; may. [OE cunnan know, be able] ◆ can, may In informal speech and writing, can is now acceptable in the sense of may, to express permission, especially in questions or negative statements: Can I leave now? You cannot. At the formal level, the distinction between can and may is still observed: can, to express ability to perform, either mentally or physically; may, to denote permission.

(kan) noun
1. A vessel for holding or carrying liquids.
2. A vessel of tin–plated iron or other metal, in which fruit, meat, tobacco, or the like is sealed, often hermetically: called tin in Great Britain.
3. A drinking mug or cup; a tankard.
4. A radio headphone.
5. Slang Jail; prison.
6. Slang Toilet; bathroom.
7. Slang Buttocks; backside.
—in the can Ready for distribution or exhibition: said of a motion picture.
—v.t. canned, can·ning
1. To put up or preserve in cans, glass jars, or the like.
2. Slang To dismiss; discharge; also, to expel from school.
3. To preserve for reproduction, as on a phonograph record: canned music.
4. Slang To suppress; jail; imprison. [OE canne cup]
—can′ner noun