could

verb (CAN)

strong /kʊd/ weak /kəd/

Definition

A2 past simple of can, used to talk about what someone or something was able or allowed to do: When I was younger I could stay up all night and not get tired. It was so noisy that we couldn't hear ourselves speak. You said we could watch television when we've finished our homework. We asked if the computer could access the internet.

(Definition of could verb (CAN) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)