יָכוֹל, (adj.) m., יְכוֹלָה f. capable, able to sustain, enduring;
יָכוֹל, (verb), impf. יוּכַל, to be capable, able; one can, may; it is possible. Cant. R. to III, 6 לארי יָכֹלְתִּי … איני י׳ I overpowered the lion, and I should not overpower the dog? Ib. שר שלכם לא י׳ … ואתם יְכוֹלִים להם your guardian angel could not stand against their father (Jacob), and (you think) you could master them?—יְכוֹלְנִי = י׳ אני I can. Ḥag. 15ᵃ top Ms. M. (ed. יכול אני); Nidd. 64ᵇ.—Keth. 95ᵃ מפני שי׳ לומר וכ׳ because he may plead &c. Ib. יְכוֹלָה היא שתאמר she may plead. Ib. 43ᵃ, a. e. י׳ הרב לומר וכ׳ the master may (has a right to) say to his slave &c. Ber. 6ᵃ אין כל בריה י׳ לעמוד וכ׳ no creature could stand up (exist) before the demons. Taan. 30ᵇ ביָכוֹל of an able-bodied person.—Yalk. Esth. 1048 שמא תוּכַל להשיאה וכ׳ canst thou give her in marriage to both of them?—Midr. Till. to Ps. XLV לא יָכְלוּ להתודות וכ׳ they could not confess their sins with their mouth; a. v. fr.—Esp. יָכוֹל (= יכול אני לומר or י׳ אתה לומר) I (you) might think, argue, conclude. Sabb. 64ᵃ י׳ שאני מרבה וכ׳ from the Bible text (Lev. XI, 32) I might infer that ropes and cords are included; Sifra Sh’mini Par. 6, ch. VIII; a. v. fr.—כִּבְיָכוֹל as though it were possible, as it were (ref. to an allegorical or anthropomorphous expression with reference to the Lord). Mekh. Bo, Pisḥa, s. 14 כל זמן … כ׳ שכינה עמהם whenever Israel is enslaved, the Divine Majesty, as it were, is with them in slavery. Ib. כ׳ אמרו ישראל וכ׳ the Israelites said, thou, as it were, hast redeemed thyself. Ib. B’shall., Shirah, s. 6 כ׳ כלפי מעלה as if referring to the Lord’s eye. B. Kam. 79ᵇ, v. מַטָּה; a. fr.—Ch. יְכִיל.
