Rules for compositors and readers at the University Press, Oxford · Oxford University Press
SOME WORDS ENDING IN -ABLE
Words ending in silent _e_ generally lose the _e_ when -able is added, as— adorable arguable desirable excusable indispensable leisurable But this rule is open to exceptions upon which authorities are not agreed. The following spellings are in _The Oxford Dictionary_, and must be followed: advisable analysable ascribable atonable baptizable believable blameable bribable chaseable confinable conversable creatable datable debatable defamable definable delineable dilatable dissolvable drivable endorsable evadable excisable exercisable finable forgivable framable giveable hireable immovable improvable indispensable inflatable irreconcilable lapsable likeable linable liveable losable lovable malleable movable nameable overcomable palatable partakable pleasable provable rateable rebukeable receivable reconcilable removable saleable solvable tameable tuneable unmistakable If -able is preceded by _ce_ or _ge_, the _e_ should be retained, to preserve the soft sound of _c_ or _g_, as— bridgeable changeable chargeable knowledgeable lodgeable manageable noticeable peaceable pledgeable serviceable Words ending in double _ee_ retain both letters, as—agreeable. In words of English formation, a final consonant is usually doubled before -able, as— admittable biddable clubbable conferrable deferrable forgettable gettable incurrable rebuttable regrettable[2] [1] At Oxford especially, it must always be remembered that the Bible has a spelling of its own; and that in Bible and Prayer Book printing the Oxford standards are to be exactly followed.—H. H. [2] For an authoritative statement on the whole subject see _The Oxford Dictionary_, Vol. I, p. 910, art. _-ble_.
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