Meaning of qualify In English

• 0 to successfully finish a training course so that you are able to do a job; to have or achieve the necessary skills, etc.:

  • She hopes to qualify (as a lawyer) at the end of the year.

  • [ + obj + to infinitive ] This course qualifies you to teach in any secondary school.

• 1 to have the legal right to have or do something because of the situation you are in, or to cause someone to have such a right:

  • She doesn't qualify for maternity leave because she hasn't been in her job long enough.

  • To qualify for the competition you need to be over 18.

  • Being a single parent qualifies you for extra benefits.

  • [ + obj + to infinitive ] figurative He thinks the fact that he's worked here longer than the rest of us qualifies him (= gives him the right) to tell us all what to do.

• 2 to succeed in getting into a competition:

  • Nigeria was the first team to qualify for the World Cup.

  • England has to win tonight's qualifying match to advance to the next round of the competition.

  • Our goal has always been to reach the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.

• 3 to limit the strength or meaning of a statement:

  • I'd like to qualify my criticisms of the school's failings, by adding that it's a very happy place.

  • In the sentence "He walked quickly along the road", "quickly" and "along the road" qualify "walked".

• 4 to achieve or have the standard of skill, knowledge, or ability that is necessary for doing or being something, or to cause someone to reach that standard:

  • [ + to infinitive ] She was qualified to teach high school mathematics and physics.

  • [ I ] Derrick won his tennis match and qualified for the semifinals.

  • [ I ] James hopes to qualify as a nurse practitioner.

  • [ I ] She doesn’t qualify for maternity leave because she hasn’t worked there long enough.

• 5 to limit the strength or meaning of a statement:

  • The press secretary later qualified the president’s remarks by saying he hadn’t been aware of all of the facts.

• 6 to successfully finish a course of study or training or achieve the necessary skills so that you are able to do a job:

  • There are many different branches of nursing which are available after qualifying.

  • qualify as sth She qualified as an accountant in 2006.

  • qualify sb to do sth The course would qualify you to work abroad.

• 7 to have the legal right to have or do something because of your situation, or to give someone this right:

  • qualify for sth Some women may have too many gaps in their working life to qualify for a full pension.

  • If rates keep decreasing more borrowers will qualify for loans.

  • qualify sb for sth Sub prime loans are given to borrowers whose credit would not qualify them for a conventional home loan.