competence-n; 5 Senses

Sense Number 1: general ability to perform some task

Commentary: COMPETENCE[+quality][+ability][+perform][+task]
NOTE: does not imply the capability is innate (sense 2)

Examples:
This music is within the competence of most amateur choirs. (they can sing it)
He has displayed great competence as a diplomat in the Middle East.
Practice drills every day have improved the students' competence in spelling.
Our baseball team has people of varying degrees of competence.
They are questioning the administration's competence in the handling of this issue.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1

Sense Number 2: the innate capacity for human language

Commentary: COMPETENCE[+quality][+faculty][+innate][+linguistic]

Examples:
The book discusses the relationship between linguistic competence and performance.
Intuitions of grammaticality are tied to the notion of innate language competence.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 3

Sense Number 3: a state of normal mental functioning

Commentary: COMPETENCE[+state][+mental][+functional]

Examples:
Psychologists are trying to determine whether the prisoner has sufficient competence to stand trial.
Her grandmother's declining competence from Alzheimer's forced her into a nursing home.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 1d

Sense Number 4: regular income or means to live on

Commentary: COMPETENCE[+quantity][+money][+income][+regular]
NOTE: a somewhat dated usage

Examples:
John's estate provided his family with a comfortable competence to live on.
She found herself in the enviable state of ample competence and no debt obligations.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 1

Sense Number 5: none of the above

Commentary: Automatically generated NOTA sense (bbn)

Examples:

Mappings: