Tra từ possible - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

pos·sible [possible possibles] adjective, noun BrE [ˈpɒsəbl] NAmE [ˈpɑːsəbl]
adjective
1. not usually before noun that can be done or achieved
•It is possible to get there by bus.
•Would it be possible for me to leave a message for her?
•This wouldn't have been possible without you.
•Try to avoid losing your temper if at all possible (= if you can).
•Use public transport whenever possible (= when you can).
•It's just not physically possible to finish all this by the end of the week.
•We spent every possible moment on the beach.
•The doctors did all that was humanly possible to save him.
•Expansion was made possible by the investment of government money.
Opp: ↑impossible
2. that might exist or happen but is not certain to
•a possible future president
•the possible side effects of the drug
• Frost is possible, although unlikely, at this time of year.
• It's just possible that I gave them the wrong directions.
•With the possible exception of the Beatles, no other band has become so successful so quickly.
•‘Do you think he'll resign?’ ‘Anything's possible where he's concerned.’
•‘You might be wrong, of course!’ ‘It's possible, but I doubt it.’
3. reasonable or acceptable in a particular situation
• There are several possible explanations.
• Please suggest possible ways in which you would improve the existing program.
4. used after adjectives to emphasize that sth is the best, worst, etc. of its type
• It was the best possible surprise anyone could have given me.
• Don't leave your packing until the last possible moment.
more at the best of both/all possible worlds at ↑world, the worst of all (possible) worlds at ↑worst _n.

Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin possibilis, from posse ‘be able’.

Thesaurus:
possible adj.
1.
•Use public transport whenever possible.
practical • • feasible • • realistic • • workable • • achievable • |especially business viable •
Opp: impossible
be possible/feasible/realistic to do sth
a practical/feasible/realistic/workable/viable solution/policy/plan
perfectly possible/practical/feasible/viable
2.
•She is a possible future president.
potential • • likely • • prospective • |especially written probable •
possible/likely/probable that…
a possible/potential/likely/prospective/probable site
a possible/potential/likely/probable cause/effect/consequence/outcome
3.
•There are several possible explanations.
plausible • • credible • • conceivable • • imaginable • • believable •
Opp: impossible
possible/plausible/credible/conceivable/imaginable/believable that …
possible/plausible/credible/believable explanation/excuse
sound possible/plausible/credible/believable
barely/hardly/scarcely possible/credible/conceivable/imaginable/believable

Language Bank:
perhaps
Making an opinion sound less definite
▪ Most cybercrime involves traditional crimes, such as theft and fraud, being committed in new ways. Phishing is perhaps ▪ / possibly ▪ / probably ▪ the best-known example of this.
▪ It seems ▪ / appears ▪ that the more personal data which organizations collect, the more opportunity there is for this data to be lost or stolen.
It seems clear that ▪ introducing national ID cards would do little to prevent identity theft.
It could be argued that ▪ the introduction of national ID cards might actually make identity theft easier.
It is possible that ▪ / It may be that ▪ the only way to protect ourselves against DNA identity theft is to avoid the creation of national DNA databases.
Language Banks at ↑impersonal, ↑opinion

Example Bank:
•I'd like the money back by next week if possible.
•In those circumstances, I thought it possible to work with him.
•It is just possible that he's still here.
•It's theoretically possible but highly unlikely ever to happen.
•New technology has made it possible to communicate more easily.
•Please come as soon as possible.
•She did as much as possible to help him.
•‘Do you think he'll resign?’ ‘Anything's possible where he's concerned.’
•‘You might be wrong, of course!’ ‘It's possible, but I doubt it.’
•Do everything possible to get it finished on time.
•He explained the possible side effects of the drug.
•It is possible to get there by bus.
•It's just not physically possible to finish all this by the end of the week.
•It's just possible that I gave them the wrong directions.
•It's scarcely possible that he knew nothing about it.
•She's perfectly possible as our main speaker.
•They spoke of her as a possible future president.
•This would not have been possible without you.
•Travel by bus whenever possible.
•Try to avoid losing your temper if (at all) possible.
•What are the possible interpretations of this message?
•What possible reason can you have for stopping me going?
•Would it be possible for me to leave a message for her?
Idiom: as quickly/much/soon as possible

noun
a person or thing that is suitable for a particular job, purpose, etc. and might be chosen
• Out of all the people interviewed, there are only five possibles.

Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin possibilis, from posse ‘be able’.