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canst

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The second-person singular form of "can," used with "thou" as in "thou canst," meaning "you can" or "you are able," in familiar or intimate address.

Detailed Definition
“Canst” accompanies “thou” in Early Modern English, expressing ability or possibility in intimate or confrontational address. It appears in prayers, love poems, and dramatic soliloquies to personalize capability (“thou canst not love me”). Its use preserves metrical patterns and historical diction, reinforcing emotional immediacy or spiritual dialogue in verse that values direct, unmediated expression.
Example
Example in poetry:
"Canst thou not hear the voice of truth?" implores the prophet-poet; In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 10: "Make thee another self, for love of me, / That beauty still may live in thine or thee"—using "canst" throughout; "Canst thou forgive my trespass?" pleads the penitent; Milton’s early lyrics: "Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased?"; "Canst thou sail the starry sea?" challenges the mystic; Canst thou love me, knowing all my flaws?
Additional Notes
“Canst” is the archaic second-person singular of “can,” used with “thou”; essential for accurate reading of Early Modern lyrics, it maintains intimate address and metrical flow, especially in questions (“Canst thou not save me?”).
Also Known As
can (archaic second-person singular of "to be able")
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