‘an astonishing company of abled and disabled dancers’
‘These mainstream messages must be challenged continually, and both abled and disabled women who ostracize those who do not fit culturally defined standards of disability must be confronted.’
‘Do disabled men date mostly disabled or abled women?’
‘The recent ploy of opening up that same double-price offer to abled as well as disabled people means they have simply constructed another disabling barrier.’
‘Manchester will go down in history as the first city to have the Commonwealth games running together with both abled and disabled athletes.’
‘The line between abled and disabled is a permeable one that we will all move across throughout our lives for varying durations and with varying degrees of limitations.’
‘When directing members of the dance company, which is made up of abled dancers, his muscular impairment means he cannot physically show a combination, but he can describe it.’
‘ONE SHOULD never call a person disabled, they are differently and distinctly abled in all respects.’
‘If employers were a bit more patient, think more of us and gave us more time, we would prove ourselves to be as good as the abled people and even better.’
‘The Project is a voluntary humanitarian organisation which helps with the medical and educational needs of less abled children in orphanages and schools in Belarus.’
‘‘In my many years working with the less abled, this has been the most rewarding experience I have ever had,’ said the Secretary for the Special Olympics in Northern Ireland.’
‘Not only can these techniques represent a usability issue to able bodied users they can present an impenetrable barrier to less abled visitors.’
‘To be disabled is to be pigeon-holed as if, by defining what is wrong with you, the abled population will find it easier to deal with you.’
‘They were mainly elderly, women, and children, as the abled men joined the Resistance.’
‘They are for people who are less abled so anyone found in these spaces should not only have a ticket but perhaps a fine or points as well.’
‘Getting about for less abled residents isn't easy, but dropped kerbs really help.’
‘Our vision of life surely should encompass the abled and disabled alike.’
Origin
1940s either from able + -ed (on the pattern of disabled) or a back-formation from disabled.
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